24 September 2004

NZLAVs arrive home after successful deployment

18 NZLAVs that deployed by sea to Darwin for Exercise Predators Gallop, along with 42 other Military vehicles, arrive back to the Port of Wellington today.

The Light Armoured Vehicles will be driven to Trentham Military Camp later tonight where cleaning and maintenance on the vehicles will be conducted before they return to Linton Military Camp next week.

The success of the deployment is a significant milestone in the introduction into service of the NZLAV and helped develop tactics and techniques as well as standard operating procedures to be used with the vehicles.

It was the first deployment of the NZLAV and the first culmination of drivers and crews training together with infantry.

Land Component Commander, Brigadier Warren Whiting said, "I was impressed with the way the motorised company performed. We achieved much more on the exercise than we hoped for."

Exercise Predators Gallop was a combined training exercise between New Zealand and Australia conducted in the Mount Bundey Training Area and the Delamere Training Area in Australia's Northern Territory.

ENDS

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