German Air Force on training visit to New Zealand

The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) will be hosting several German Air Force (GAF) aircraft from later this week and working alongside the visitors as they conduct flying training in Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft from RNZAF Base Woodbourne.

04 November, 2025

The RNZAF’s Operations Squadron will deploy to RNZAF Base Woodbourne to exercise a range of key capabilities which support combat operations, such as security forces (including patrol dogs), rescue firefighters, aviation fuel specialists and air movements operators.

Altogether, the GAF will deploy five aircraft to New Zealand over the fortnight period - three A400Ms, an Airbus A330 transporting personnel involved in the exercise between Germany and New Zealand, and an Airbus A321.

Planned training activities with the A400M include low-level flying in various areas, aerial delivery of kit and supplies (to be exercised working with the New Zealand Army at Waiouru), and parachuting, from RNZAF Base Auckland at Whenuapai.

Air Component Commander Air Commodore Andy Scott said that the GAF visit was a unique training opportunity for the trades involved, developing interoperability and building the RNZAF’s relationship with a significant NATO country.

The RNZAF is providing a wide range of support for the exercise, such as security forces (including patrol dogs), rescue firefighters, aviation fuel specialists and air movements operators (file photo)

“It’s a pleasure to welcome our international colleagues to New Zealand. We have worked with the GAF on exercises and in various other activities in the past, but hosting a deployment of this size is a first.

“Clearly New Zealand made such a good impression on their first visit last year they wanted to come back and this represents a fantastic opportunity for our teams to build closer working relationships.

“Our Operations Squadron’s personnel are looking forward to the opportunities the visit presents. They are accustomed to deploying in comparatively small groups overseas, but this is exercising remote operations on a large scale all close to home, adding significant value for us – for example, there have been training benefits in the extensive planning work in the past few months alone.”

Air Commodore Scott said there would be plenty of opportunities for people in many parts of the country to see the GAF aircraft overhead.

“I suggest keeping an eye on the New Zealand Defence Force website for daily updates on what’s going on,” he said.