New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa
Media Advisory
21 August 2008

New Zealand And Singaporean Navies To Conduct Maritime Exercises

Helicopter Operations, Live Firings, Damage Control and Mariner Evolutions will be put to the test when Exercise LION ZEAL kicks off in late August.

Nine personnel from the Royal Singaporean Navy (RSN) will exercise alongside the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) over the period 25 – 29 August 2008 during the annual exercise based out of the Devonport Naval Base. Aimed at strengthening the relationship and enhancing mutual co-operation between both Navies, Exercise LION ZEAL consists of both a sea and shore phase.

The first phase of the exercise will be conducted on shore and will see the two Navies conduct professional exchanges and a one day planning and tactical gaming exercise.

The second phase will be conducted at sea onboard HMNZS TE KAHA and will provide the RSN the opportunity to observe some of the RNZN capabilities including the Navy’s SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopter.

Exercise LION ZEAL provides an excellent opportunity for the two nations to improve their inter-operability and to strengthen their professional ties. Besides interactions through exchange of courses and affiliation programmes, both forces also interact regularly through participation in the Five Power Defence Arrangement and other multilateral exercises.

Exercise LION ZEAL is an annual bilateral exercise and first conducted in 1999.

ENDS

http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/operations/deployments/default.htm