6 Jul 2015

NZDF joins massive training exercise

8:49 am on 6 July 2015

The New Zealand Defence Force is taking part for the first time in what has been described as the largest warfighting exercise between Australia and the United States.

NZ Army soldiers carry out patrols at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California last year as part of exercise Dawn Blitz.

NZ Army soldiers carry out patrols at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California last year as part of exercise Dawn Blitz. Photo: NZ DEFENCE FORCE / US Marine Corps

The three-week long training in different parts of Australia and America involves almost 30,000 troops, including more than 600 from New Zealand.

The New Zealanders will be mostly in Queensland.

The senior national officer, Colonel Glenn King said it was important for those taking part to experience different equipment and procedures.

"For those men and women that are out there in the ships, on the helicopters in Shoalwater Bay, they get a really good opportunity to work beside the Australians and the Americans.

"The training is important. It's exciting for them."

Mr King said taking part in the exercise also reinforced the close defence partnership between Australia and New Zealand.

The exercise involves planning and operations at sea, in the air and on land.