• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

NZ Army and RNZAF test high-readiness interoperability

New Zealand Defence Force

The ability to rapidly deploy personnel and equipment in our region and further afield is crucial for the New Zealand Defence Force's (NZDF) military response options. Exercise Cassino is set to put personnel through their paces over the coming weeks.

10 October, 2025

Hundreds of personnel drawn from the New Zealand Army's high-readiness force elements, supporting units from Burnham Military Camp, the broader NZ Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) have completed the first scenario of an active exercise in the Marlborough Sounds by successfully executing a rapid mobilisation and deployment of personnel and equipment into the region.

An advance party made up of 2nd/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR) soldiers, the Female Engagement Team and RNZAF Security Forces loaded up two C-130J Hercules flights from the Harewood terminal at Christchurch Airport before deploying to RNZAF Base Woodbourne, where the initial stage of the exercise is being conducted.

In Woodbourne the team was met by members of Headquarters Deployable Joint Interagency Task Force (HQDJIATF), who provided the command and control for deployed high-readiness force elements.

Commanding Officer 2/1 RNZIR, Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Mateparae, said testing and validating the NZDF's high-readiness units through high-quality exercises like these is vital.

"Exercise Cassino is our opportunity to confirm that our high-readiness force elements can rapidly mobilise and deploy to support global operational tasks.

"With the global security environment becoming increasingly volatile, ensuring our team is good to go when called upon, provides assurance that we are ready."

The contingent is deploying to the fictional Pacific country of Belisia where it will run through various tactical scenarios that may be encountered during a period of unrest.

Rehearsing joint interoperability between the NZ Army's land forces and the RNZAF's air assets is crucial to be able to rapidly respond to a potential situation.

"Our high-readiness force elements rely on RNZAF platforms to project personnel and equipment around the world, so training and testing this is key to success for future deployments.

"Additionally, HQDJIATF deploying into the exercise to provide the initial command function for our high-readiness forces gives realism and enables key relationship building to occur, allowing us to start on the front foot in the event of a real time deployment," Lieutenant Colonel Mateparae said.

No. 40 Squadron Commanding Officer Wing Commander Bradley Scott said it was also a useful chance for RNZAF personnel to test their skills in working with the Army.

"The exercise has provided a valuable opportunity for the C-130J Hercules to be employed in an agile and reactive scenario, which included tactics such as engine running offload to minimise exposure to simulated threats, while demonstrating the ability for the NZDF to rapidly project our forces, in our wider region."

The advance party's primary role was to set the early conditions for the evacuation of non-combatants from Belisia, before they were joined later in the week by more than a hundred additional Army personnel and supporting enablers, in preparation for the remainder of the exercise.

On top of this, the Burnham based logistics team from 2/1 RNZIR and 3rd Combat Service Support Battalion will operate tactically throughout, providing real life support and enabling personnel to conduct the tasks required.

The exercise runs in the Marlborough region through until October 24.

Training will involve NZDF personnel moving on roads by heavy vehicle, moving by boat across waterways in the Marlborough Sounds, and by NZDF aircraft from Base Woodbourne by day and night.

During the activity soldiers with weapons will be patrolling across Blenheim, Seddon, Havelock, Ward, Dip Flat, and the Howard Valley within the St Arnaud area.

The New Zealand Defence Force thanks the community for their ongoing support in allowing our personnel to conduct the required training to keep New Zealanders safe.