VISIT OUR WEBSITES: www.defence.govt.nz www.nzdf.mil.nz NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE UPDATE 29 DEC 04 Hercules fleet upgrade announced CDF: A Christmas message Seasprite inquiry findings released Training for Afghanistan Ships return 2004: the year in review
A Christmas Message Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson, Chief of Defence Force Last month on 11 November I took part, with many NZDF personnel from all three Services, in the ceremonies as New Zealand s Unknown Warrior was laid to rest in New Zealand soil, in a tomb at the National War Memorial in Wellington. This was the culmination of a week long journey for the New Zealand delegation and me to France to bring our colleague home. Words cannot describe how emotional the whole activity was except to say that it is one I will never forget. Nearly 90 years after his death on the Somme battlefields, this one New Zealander has returned to be a symbol of the many thousands of young New Zealanders who have no known grave but who are remembered in war memorials across the globe. Of course while our focus was on the Great War of 90 years ago, we shall not forget that young New Zealanders have given their lives more recently in Timor Leste and Kuwait to name New Zealand Defence Update provides information about defence policy and people, and the activities of our forces throughout the world, to a wide audience in New Zealand and overseas. It is published monthly, and is also available on www. nzdf.mil.nz. We welcome your feedback. Editor: Judith Martin, Defence Public Relations Unit, tel 64 4 4960227, email: Judith.martin@nzdf.mil.nz Editorial Policy: The opinions expressed in Defence Update are not necessarily those of the New Zealand Defence Force or the Ministry of Defence. The Defence Public Relations Unit also produces individual publications for New Zealand s Navy, Army and Air Force. These are available on request. COVER: Able medic Lara Sharp and Major Derek Tunui practise for a medical emergency during pre deployment training for service in Afghanistan (see Training for action). Photo: John Kirk-Anderson, The Press. Inset: Change of Command: 2LFG s Change of Command parade at Linton Camp. just two locations. The men and women we remember on Remembrance Day and on ANZAC Day are not only those of our grand- and great-grand parents generation, but we are also remembering our own comrades too. That is a sombre message, but the significance of the recent ceremonies and the widely-shared community respect for the Unknown Warrior indicates that it was an event that shouldn t be under-valued. But as we prepare to enjoy the Christmas season and summer with our families, it is appropriate to remember that this year we will have many Service men and women deployed to over a dozen different missions in the winter cold of Afghanistan and the Balkans, or in the tropical heat of the Solomons, for example, while others will be on duty in the Antarctic. No matter where they are deployed, our personnel have continued to receive praise for the skill and professionalism they contribute. Overall, their efforts and willingness to make a real difference, not only enhance New Zealand s reputation as a good global citizen, but demonstrate the quality of our people - of whom all New Zealanders can be justifiably proud. I, along with the Minister, Service Chiefs and the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, am very conscious of what this type of separation from families means, and our thoughts are with them all at this time. Christmas can be a special time for being with family and friends, a time also for rest and recreation. I do want to specially mention the contribution made by our families, who - with little recognition - provide us with the support that is so important for us in the Defence Force to achieve our tasks. 2004 was another year of high operational tempo and more change for the NZDF. Underlying all this activity is our determination to work towards maximising the Joint Effect that the three Services are developing. Our task is to work together for the benefit of the NZDF and consequently for all New Zealanders, and I am pleased to see that our efforts are being recognised both inside government and in the wider community. During the year I have been able to visit a good number of our personnel serving in the various ships, units, camps, bases, and headquarters, and on the peacekeeping and reconstruction missions overseas. Meeting the women and men of the NZDF is one of the true delights of my job as Chief of Defence of Force. I am immensely proud of my servicemen and women, and the positive effects that the NZDF is achieving wherever they are engaged both at home and overseas. We will continue to be successful because we are truly a team. A good team looks after its members, and manages its effort to minimise overload and stress. To this I am committed, and this includes managing our effort to allow regeneration time. I am fortunate to be spending time with my family this Christmas, and together we wish all personnel and families a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. After a challenging but rewarding year, I am looking forward to continuing to serve with them in 2005. Lt Cdr Tania Koberstein, RNZN, and Air Marshal Ferguson in Afghanistan earlier this year.
Hercules fleet upgrade announced Three Services, One Force New Zealand's C-130 Hercules aircraft fleet is about to get a 15-year life extending upgrade with much of the actual conversion work being completed in New Zealand. The $226 million project contract was signed on December 14 with suppliers L-3 Communications Spar Aerospace. Defence Minister Mark Burton said that this was another significant step in re-equipping all three services of the NZDF. Since the 2002 release of the Defence Long-Term Development Plan, 22 major re-equipment projects have been advanced. They include investments in seven new purpose-built naval vessels, a $352 million upgrade of our P-3 Orion fleet, the purchase of two 757-200 jet aircraft to replace our ageing 727s, and the recent acquisition of a new fleet of Light Operational Vehicles. Our Hercules fleet is the workhorse of the Air Force, used for a wide range of military airlift tasks and civilian agency requirements. The C-130s provide support to deployed forces, transporting both personnel and/or large freight items. They can operate in conflict areas and on short and poorly prepared airfields. The C-130 fleet also supports counter-terrorism operations undertaken by the Police and the New Zealand Defence Force, as well as providing Antarctic supply flights and support disaster relief missions. Mr Burton noted that the C-130 life extension and the C- 130 communications and navigation equipment would both be upgraded together, with the two projects running in parallel to maximise efficiency and cost effectiveness. Modification work is scheduled to begin in early 2006 with the first aircraft being modified at L-3 Spar's facility in Edmonton, Canada and the second to fifth aircraft upgraded in Blenheim at Safe Air Ltd. The life extension project will include the replacement of structural components in the wing and aircraft fuselage to manage fatigue, as well as upgrades to the mechanical and electrical systems. The communications and navigation upgrade will ensure the aircraft comply with air traffic management regulations and are interoperable with New Zealand s Defence and security partners. The upgrades also include ground-based support and training facilities. Seasprite inquiry findings released The accident involving a Royal New Zealand Navy Seasprite helicopter on board HMNZS Te Mana in the Gulf of Oman was caused by the aircraft entering a ground resonance condition during rotor engagement, which in turn was caused by incorrectly lashing the aircraft to the deck, a Court of Inquiry has found. The inquiry into the accident involving the Royal New Zealand Navy Seasprite helicopter found that during rotors engaged engine ground run onboard Te Mana, a severe airframe vibration developed as a result of a condition known as ground resonance. The pilot shut the aircraft down immediately the severe vibration occurred. The Seasprite suffered damage to the undercarriage and accessories, and some creasing of the aircraft skin occurred. The Seasprite was replaced and returned to New Zealand for repair. being implemented within the Navy and Air Force. The estimated cost to repair the Seasprite is between NZ$1.5 and 3.0 million. The repairs should be completed by the end of January 2005. The Court of Inquiry made a number of recommendations to better highlight the correct lashing procedures and the dangers of ground resonance. Training syllabi have also been reviewed. Air Component Commander Air Commodore Richard Newlands said the event highlighted the role of all those involved in flight operations to both ensure correct procedures were carried out at all times, and to ensure those procedures were well understood. The recommendations of the Court are currently
2004 The Year in Review january Thirty-nine RNZAF personnel return home to New Zealand after their deployment to the Middle East where they flew, crewed and maintained a P-3 Orion aircraft. The P-3 was used for maritime interdiction operations in the Gulf, clocking up more than 1000 flying hours. february Army and RNZAF personnel airlift people stranded on rooftops during extensive flooding in the Horowhenua and Manawatu regions. march A 50-strong contingent of NZDF personnel flies to Iraq to continue the humanitarian, rehabilitation and reconstruction work that began there in September 2003 when the first group of NZDF personnel deployed to the region. The Light Engineer Group is in Iraq to help reconstruct bridges in the Basra area, supervise the installation of water treatment plants, and repair and refurbish schools, among other tasks. The Army begins training to operate its newly acquired Light Armoured Vehicles. april Australian firm Tenix Defence Pty is announced as the preferred tenderer for the New Zealand Navy s new vessels. Royal New Zealand Navy frigate Te Mana sails for its second deployment to the Middle East to support Operation Enduring Freedom. Defence Minister Mark Burton signs the contract with supplier Automotive Technik Ltd to provide Light Operational Vehicles for the New Zealand Army. Rear Admiral David Ledson appointed Chief of Navy. may Eighty-eight NZDF personnel continue their role in the multinational Regional Assistance Mission in Solomon Islands. A team of NZDF personnel accompany 52 veterans to Cassino, Italy, to mark the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino. june The crew of an RNZAF No.3 Squadron helicopter is commended for its courageous and skilful rescue of a seriously injured Australian Navy sailor from the bottom of a Solomon Islands ravine. Defence Minister Mark Burton signs a contract to buy an identification, alerting, and cueing system to complete the Army s very low level air defence capability for deployed land force elements.
july The NZDF s commitment to Solomon Islands, which began in July 2003, begins to scale down. The frigate HMNZS Te Kaha and the tanker, HMNZS Endeavour leave Devonport Naval Base for a five-month deployment to Australia and Southeast Asia. The deployment will include operational exercises, and Defence diplomacy. august The contract for the construction of seven new ships to be operated by the Navy is signed between the government and ship builders Tenix Limited. An upgrade of the RNZAF s six P-3 Orions mission systems, and communication and navigation equipment, is approved by the government. Several sailors from the tanker HMNZS Endeavour are injured when the lifeboat from their ship falls and lands upside down in the water at Fleet Base East in Sydney. september Sixty-one NZDF personnel return home after their tour of duty in Iraq comes to an end. The Light Engineer Group was in Iraq doing humanitarian and reconstruction work. HMNZS Te Mana returns home after an eight-month deployment in the Gulf of Oman. october Former High Court judge Justice David Morris is appointed to act as an independent assessor of claims of alleged abuses at the Waiouru Regular Force Cadet School. Minister of Defence Mark Burton signs a $352 million contract for the P3Orion upgrade with US firm L-3 Communications Integrated Systems. november New Zealand s Unknown Warrior, a soldier who died in France during World War One, is brought home by a 78- strong NZDF contingent, and interred in a newly built tomb at the War Memorial in Buckle Street, Wellington. A platoon of infantry, and a small logistics team, deploy to Solomon Islands as part of New Zealand s scaled-down contribution. december RNZN ships Te Kaha and Endeavour return home after a five-month deployment to Southeast Asia. The findings of the Court of Inquiry into an accident involving a RNZN Seasprite are released. $226 million contract is signed for the C130 life extension with Canadian firm L-3 Communications Spar Aerospace.
Training for action - Afghanistan When 136 soldiers, sailors, and airmen descended on Tekapo for Afghanistan predeployment training earlier this month they encountered perfect weather. It snowed and there was a howling southerly for much of the time we were there. We had excellent conditions to train for the season we expect to encounter in January, says deployment commander GPCAPT John Duxfield. The main body of NZDF personnel leaves New Zealand for Afghanistan in late January. They have just completed five weeks of pre-deployment training to prepare them not only for dealing with the social and political situations they may encounter, but also to be able to do their core jobs in what will be, on their arrival, an extremely harsh environment. It is expected to be snowing heavily, and the temperatures will be as low as 25 degrees C. The five weeks of training covered every scenario members of the NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team are likely to encounter, as well as additional training in core military skills. The second week was spent on the west Melton range near Burnham Camp where each member trained in using the various weapons available to them in Afghanistan. In Tekapo they worked on their field firing skills. Many of the soldiers in the PDT are from Burnham, so living in the field in Tekapo took them out of their usual environment, and was a great team building exercise, says GPCAPT Duxfield. It also proved that the gear we have been issued with is excellent for the cold environment we will experience living in Afghanistan. The fourth and fifth weeks were spent training in negotiating skills, and in handling anticipated situations such as protests, illegal roadblocks, crowd control, and vital point protection. PRT members were also trained in how to counter vehicle ambushes. GPCAPT Duxfield says each patrol commander in the team was presented with a scenario that put them under pressure and tested their skills and resourcefulness. I was very impressed with how they reacted. We are fortunate in the NZDF now that we have such an extensive array of operational experience. Most team members have been on missions in Timor Leste, Solomon Islands, or Bougainville, and many of the officers in the deployment have completed United Nations tours of duty to countries like Somalia and Lebanon. We have considerable skills and experience in the team. He expects one of the main challenges in the forthcoming deployment will be the weather. For the first few months the weather will limit our operations, but we will still be able to patrol, albeit using different roads. Some of the high passes will be closed because of the weather, so we will have to take the longer routes. GPCAPT Duxfield and his second-in-command, Major Greg Allnutt have already visited Bamian, and spent time with the development group which organises tasks for the PRT. The development group is made up of representatives from several different organisations, including the NZDF, and is very well organised, robust and flexible. We expect to finish some of the work our predecessors began, and to complete new tasks throughout our deployment. They will probably range from small engineering projects and school refurbishments, to conducting health programmes in surrounding villages. The parliamentary elections will be held at the end of April, and we expect to be involved there, just as our predecessors were involved in facilitating the presidential elections in September. (Left) PDT leader: GPCAPT John Duxfield. (Above) Taking a break: Able medic Kate O'Meara, Lt Julie Fitzell, RNZN, and Able medic Lara Sharp relax during a break in their Afghanistan pre-deployment training.
Time check The RNZAF Red Checkers reputation for being a worldclass display team was cemented earlier this month when the team was presented with six Breitling watches. The Swiss company has been an aeronautical chronograph maker since 1915 and the watches presented to the Red Checkers have a combined value of around $42,000. The watches were designed especially for the team, with the Checkers logo on the face of the watch, and come complete with an emergency locator beacon. The beacon is activated by twisting a dial and can send a signal for up to 48 hours. The timepieces will stay with the team, with outgoing pilots handing on the watches to new members of the team but not until each new pilot has undergone training to make sure they can competently use their chronograph. Kids benefit A children s charity, the Kidcare Foundation, is $9,000 better off, courtesy of prizes offered by the Air Force. Two Auckland businessmen took to the sky with the Air Force as part of Operation Adrenalin Rush. Larry Hyde from Hyde Group and Ian Bartram from GSI Limited collectively bid for the prize which included a visit to RNZAF Base Whenuapai, instruction by Air Force flying instructors, and a flight in a CT-4 Airtrainer. The flights, which lasted for an hour took the two men over Auckland s CBD and included low-level flying and aerobatics over the training area. Ships return home The Navy ships HMNZS Te Kaha and Endeavour arrived home to the Devonport Naval Base on Saturday 4 December, after an absence of five months. During this time, Te Kaha and Endeavour participated in several exercises with New Zealand s regional neighbours and conducted goodwill visits to various countries. The largest of these exercises was Exercise BERSAMA LIMA and included forces from the Five-Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) - Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and the UK. During their time away both ships conducted a variety of operational exercises, activities and Defence Diplomacy visits to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Philippines. HMNZS Canterbury accompanied Te Kaha and Endeavour into the Devonport Naval Base for a five day stopover after completing operational port visits to Lyttelton, Dunedin, Wellington and Melbourne. Canterbury then made a final farewell port visit to Tauranga before returning home to the Devonport Naval Base for Christmas. Long-term development plan updated Defence Minister Mark Burton has released the 2004 update of the Defence Long-Term Development Plan (LTDP). Originally released in 2002, the LTDP is a planning tool that enables government to make decisions on defence acquisitions in the context of defence policy, priority of projects, and affordability. The LTDP is updated yearly, and this year includes a new category: Projects Approved and in Acquisition Phase, which recognises the increasing number of projects that have advanced to the stage of equipment delivery, acquisition, or contract negotiation. Ten projects have been moved into this new category.
IN BRIEF An Air Force Orion has located and photographed a vessel suspected of fishing illegally in the Cook Islands Economic Exclusion Zone earlier this month. The vessel was escorted to Rarotonga over the weekend, where the skipper and seven crew members were to be questioned. In front of an audience including their proud families,, 23 Naval Ratings formally passed out of basic training on December 14,after 14 weeks at the Navy s New Entry Training School in Devonport. Mr Wayne (Buck) Shelford, a former Navy physical training instructor and All Black captain, reviewed the passing out parade and presented the prizes. The top prize, The Spencer Tewsley Cup and Tankard,was awarded to the best all round trainee, OMT Marama Hawaikirangi (above). The Orion initially spotted the fishing vessel last week, while on a routine patrol around the Pacific Islands. Air Force personnel on board the Orion covertly monitored the vessel, while reporting its position to a patrol boat sent from the Cooks Maritime Surveillance Centre. After a two-day chase the fishing vessel was boarded and the skipper apprehended. Our Orion crew have again demonstrated New Zealand's dedication to help our Pacific Island neighbours protect their valuable fish stocks, says Squadron Leader Glen Graham, from Headquarters Joint Force New Zealand. Their persistence and professionalism makes me very confident that in future our combined efforts will become even more effective in deterring the exploitation of fragile marine resources in the South Pacific, he said. THE NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE: ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLD NZ DEFENCE FORCE OPERATIONS CONTRIBUTIONS TO UN MISSIONS LOCATION DEPLOYED UNMISET Timor Leste 6 UNMIK Kosovo 1 UNTSO Middle East 8 UNAMSIL Sierra Leone 2 UNAMAC Korea 1 CONTRIBUTIONS TO MINE ACTION MISSIONS LOCATION DEPLOYED MADP Mozambique 2 CMAC Cambodia 2 CONTRIBUTIONS TO REGIONAL MISSIONS LOCATION DEPLOYED Operation Rata Solomon Islands 37 CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERNATIONAL FORCES LOCATION DEPLOYED SFOR Staff Officers Bosnia 3 ISAF Staff Officers Afghanistan 2 MFO Sinai 26 OEF Staff Officers Afghanistan 2 OEF Provincial Reconstruction Team Afghanistan 106 OEF (RNZAF) The Gulf Region 6 TOTAL DEPLOYED 204