Amphibious Landing in Marlborough Sounds
Amphibious Landing in the Marlborough Sounds
Landing craft carrying hundreds of troops,
military vehicles and other equipment were launched from the
amphibious sealift and support ship HMNZS CANTERBURY at
Titirangi Bay and Okiwi Bay in the Marlborough Sounds on
Friday.
The amphibious landing was the centrepiece of Exercise Southern Katipo 2015 (SK15), the New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) major military exercise.
“The amphibious landing demonstrated the NZDF’s ability to deploy offshore Joint Task Forces that comprise elements from the Navy, Army and Air Force,” Acting Maritime Component Commander Commander Martin Walker said.
“Numerous operations, most recently in Vanuatu following the devastating aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Pam, have demonstrated this capability,” he said.
SK15 demonstrates the NZDF’s ability to work alongside its partners in providing humanitarian assistance and responding to requests for assistance in managing a security situation within the Southwest Pacific region. It also provides an opportunity to exercise the ANZAC Ready Reaction Force, which is an initiative between the Australian and New Zealand governments to plan and exercise for joint emergency responses in the region.
The joint exercise involves naval, land and air assets and more than 2000 personnel from New Zealand and eight other countries - Australia, Canada, Fiji, France, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.
B-roll footage of the amphibious landing and interviews with Lieutenant Colonel Paul Hayward (Commander, Light Task Force) and Captain Dave McEwan (Amphibious Task Force Commander) are available from the attached Dropbox link:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/54g99yd51hrc6zs/AAATdlcUmUnF3VU9eblJu7Xya?dl=0
ENDS