New Zealand readies forces for world's largest maritime military exercise

The New Zealand Defense Force ( NZDF) on Tuesday outlined its deployment for the multinational Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise hosted by the United States around the Hawaiian islands from next month.

Commander Joint Forces New Zealand Major-General Tim Gall said the ability of the NZDF to make a valuable contribution in times of need was directly related to training with other nations in a variety of scenarios.

"In the last 12 months, the NZDF has provided humanitarian assistance to the Philippines and the Solomon Islands, helped search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, and completed a six-month anti-piracy mission in the northern Indian Ocean," Gall said in a statement.

"We are about to deploy a P-3K2 Orion to the Indian Ocean for maritime security as part of the Combined Maritime Force. These missions require training and preparation in a multinational environment, and Exercise RIMPAC provides this at a very high level."

The NZDF forces deployed for RIMPAC would include supply vessel HMNZS Canterbury carrying an SH-2G Seasprite helicopter, its Operational Dive Team, Mine Counter-Measures Team, a P-3K2 Orion, an army platoon, and 32 staff officers for headquarters positions.

New Zealand will be one of 23 nations participating in the largest international maritime military exercise in the world from June 26 to Aug. 1.

The training drills would vary from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to maritime security, sea control and complex war- fighting.

The biennial exercise will involve 25,000 personnel, more than 40 ships and submarines, and more than 200 aircraft.