RNZAF working hand-in-hand with Australian counterparts

The No. 40 Squadron aircraft, crew and supporting detachment were deployed last month to RAAF Base Richmond in New South Wales to conduct Exercise Trojan Compass. The deployment enhanced interoperability and interchangeability between the Anzac air forces.  

The RNZAF crew, embedded in No. 37 Squadron, completed six flights, two domestic and four international, in support of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) under their call signs to a variety of locations across Australia and the Indo-Pacific region.  

Crews flew 101.3 hours, carrying 52 tonnes of payload and 45 tonnes of cargo during the five-week deployment. 

Detachment commander, Squadron Leader Adam Palmer, said the exercise achieved a number of milestones for the air and ground crews.

“We were fully integrated into the ADF’s tasking system and directly supported their operations in the southwest Pacific and into Southeast Asia.

“The maintainers were able to confirm the certification of their standards, which means they will now be allowed to work on Australian aircraft.”

The exercise was a further step towards interchangeability, where personnel from each air force can work seamlessly with each other’s fleets, Squadron Leader Palmer said. 

Trojan Compass lifted the relationship between New Zealand and Australia, streamlining training across the board, strengthening our own readiness and resilience. 

The majority of flights the C-130J crews flew supported Pacific engagement, with missions to Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu and Malaysia.

“We also flew to RAAF bases around the country, including to Williamtown, Amberley, Townsville, Darwin and Curtin.” 

RNZAF Logistics Officer Flight Lieutenant Kelsey May worked alongside her Australian counterpart Fight Lieutenant Riley Kennedy. 

“It has been a good learning opportunity for all of us,” she told the ADF.

“What has been working really well is that we have similar machinery and similar aircraft. It makes it easy for us to prepare freight and load as we have the same processes and procedures.” 

Flight Lieutenant Kennedy said interoperability was the key outcome of the exercise. 

“Working with a foreign nation has been excellent and we have learnt a lot from each other along the way.”