The images in this album were captured by Gordon Arthur during Exercise SOUTHERN KATIPO 17 in New Zealand in late 2017.
To read about the exercise click on this link.
A section of Kiwi soldiers prepares to clear an outbuilding in Reefton on the West Coast during SOUTHERN KATIPO 17 [© Gordon Arthur]
Three NH90 helicopters of the Royal New Zealand Air Force seen at Westport Airport at the top end of the South Island – along with an AW109 LOH they formed a helicopter task group for the exercise [© Gordon Arthur]
The New Zealand Army’s most capable vehicle is the LAV III, otherwise known as the NZLAV – nearest the camera is an NZLAV-R Recovery Vehicle [© Gordon Arthur]
MAN HX58 6×6 truck being used by the Southeast Asia Company for guard duty at the entry point to a forward operating base in Westport – the NZDF fleet of 194 MAN trucks is referred to as the Medium and Heavy Operational Vehicle or MHOV [© Gordon Arthur]
The officer in charge of the Australian detachment on Exercise SOUTHERN KATIPO brought a G-Wagen 6×6 Surveillance Reconnaissance Vehicle (SRV) with him [© Gordon Arthur]
An Australian platoon guards a road junction on the West Coast – 1 RAR brought six Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles to New Zealand, transported aboard HMAS Choules [© Gordon Arthur]
An Australian light machine gunner armed with a 5.56mm M249 Para helps guard a road junction – soldier next to him has a Steyr Mannlicher 40mm SL40 grenade launcher attached to the barrel of his EF88 [© Gordon Arthur]
A mixed-nationality patrol meets locals on the main street of Greymouth – in this picture is a Canadian, an Australian and a couple of Fijians as they reassure town residents that all is safe[© Gordon Arthur]
Fijians patrol through the rather quiet streets of Greymouth on the West Coast – the Pacific Islanders in particular found the spring weather of New Zealand too cold for their liking! [© Gordon Arthur]
The Royal Tongan Marine Infantry sent 31 personnel to join the Pacific Island Company – the Tongan military, including the Marines and Tonga Royal Guards, has about 600 members [© Gordon Arthur]
Tongan Marines are typically armed with 5.56mm M16A1 assault rifles, but a sale of M4/M4A1 rifles was approved by the USA in 2008 [© Gordon Arthur]
The uniforms of Tongan Marines look like the old US woodland camouflage scheme – the vests are in fact hand-me-downs from the US Army, these being donated when Tonga deployed to Iraq to support the Coalition there [© Gordon Arthur]
Tongan Marines protect Omoko Raceway on the outskirts of Greymouth – note the 30-round magazine inserted into the M249 SAW light machine gun [© Gordon Arthur]
As a wounded comrade is dragged to safety, this Tongan Marine provides covering fire with his 5.56mm M4 assault rifle fitted with a 40mm M203 under-barrel grenade launcher [© Gordon Arthur]
This soldier is from Papua New Guinea, although it would be impossible to tell from his uniform and equipment – he has been issued with a New Zealand rifle and is wearing a Kiwi helmet and cold-weather gear [© Gordon Arthur]
An F-FDTL member – with Kiwi and Australian troops spending many years performing peacekeeping missions in Timor-Leste, it was a remarkable role reversal for Timorese soldiers to be in New Zealand for the exercise [© Gordon Arthur]
