Media Advisory
2 May 2008
Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ship HMAS MANOORA will be in Cantabrian waters from 8 May as she gears up to provide assistance to a combined military exercise with the New Zealand Defence Force.
The RAN ship is an amphibious sealift vessel - meaning it can offload vehicles, troops and supplies to shore using landing craft without berthing at a port. It is berthing at Lyttelton Port from the 9th of May before departing to participate in a training exercise with the New Zealand Defence Force.
HMAS MANOORA is the sole naval asset in the Exercise named “Joint Kiwi” which will see NZ Army Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV) transported and offloaded by the amphibious sealift capacity in Hawke’s Bay.
The LAV’s are from Queen Alexandra Mounted Rifles Group based at Burnham Army Camp in Christchurch. QAMR are participating in land-based manoeuvres in Canterbury where they will then be transported by MANOORA to the Hawke’s Bay to continue their activities.
Exercise Joint Kiwi runs from 15 May to 17 May off the coast of Napier before returning to Lyttelton to offload QAMR assets.
ENDS
Note: HMAS MANOORA will not be open to the public during this exercise.
Media who wish to view or photograph the loading of personnel or equipment onto HMAS MANOORA on 11 May should contact Nicole Munro-Johnson by 10am, 9 May 2008.
For more information about Exercise Joint Kiwi please contact Nicole Munro-Johnson, Defence Public Relations at 04 529 6033 or 021 569 148 or Bas Bolyn, Defence Public Relations at 04 496 0285 or 021 478 574.
For more information about QAMR activities please contact Jane Mortlock, Army Public Relations on 021 224 8658 or 027 444 4883.