The commander of a New Zealand helicopter squadron being deployed in Papua New Guinea later this month says its role there will be to provide transport for election officials and their equipment.
Three Iroquois helicopters and 35 staff from the air force will be part of a contingent of about 250 foreign military personnel providing logistical support for PNG's general election.
Wing Commander Shaun Clark says the foreign forces will take ballot boxes to remote parts of the country.
"Our task is to support the Papua New Guinea election, and the way we will be doing that is by flying the election officials and election equipment from some of the main centres into the harder to access villages and areas that can't be accessed by road or by sea."
Shaun Clark says the New Zealanders, who'll be unarmed, are currently training to fly the Iroquois helicopters in warm, tropical conditions and mountainous terrain.
