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Album ~ Exercise SOUTHERN KATIPO 17

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]

 

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