His Majesty’s Armed Forces join NZDF engineering exercise in Cook Islands

Two Tongan soldiers are getting their first taste of an overseas deployment as they assist with engineering tasks in the Cook Islands, as part of a multinational effort led by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

14 October, 2025

Private Paea Tukuafu, from Vava’u, and Lance Corporal Christopher Penisimani Sole, from Lapaha on Tongatapu, are taking part in Exercise Tropic Twilight, which is an annual exercise funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

This year it is being carried out on the small island of Ma’uke in the Cook Islands, where more than 30 personnel are involved. The island has a population of about 240.

The NZ Army’s 25 Engineer Support Squadron, 2 Engineer Regiment is being supported by a medical team and troops from Tonga, Australia, Fiji and Vanuatu.

The team is carrying out maintenance and improvements on the island’s solar farm, water infrastructure, school and halls.

Private Tukuafu has been in His Majesty’s Armed Forces (HMAF) for about one and a half years and is training to be a plumber. It is his first time deployed overseas.

“I want to help the people of Ma’uke and improve their water supply. This exercise also helps me get more experience,” he said.

Private Paea Tukuafu, from Vava’u

Private Paea Tukuafu taking part in Exercise Tropic Twilight in the Cook Islands

Lance Corporal Christopher Penisimani Sole, from Lapaha on Tongatapu, is taking part in Exercise Tropic Twilight

Along with the pre-deployment training, which was carried out at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North in New Zealand, Private Tukuafu said he was learning more about how the different armies work.

“I have got a lot to learn. When I go back to Tonga I want to share it.”

Lance Corporal Sole, a carpenter who has been in HMAF for eight years, was also on his first overseas deployment.

“I am very happy for the exercise. It’s my first time to train with guys from another country.

“I’ll benefit from the experience. I am learning how the New Zealand guys work and I can pass on my experience when I return to Tonga.

“I am also very happy to help the people of Ma’uke. They have been wonderful to us and we want to do the best job we can.”

The NZ Army’s Corporal Richard McLaren is the carpentry team lead for Tropic Twilight and said the benefits of embedding other nations flowed both ways.

“I’ve never had an international partnership under my command before. This helps me and the boys communicate with other nationalities. And the Pacific guys obviously benefit from this work as well.

“There’s a little bit of a language barrier to begin with, but we learn to adapt to that and we can communicate well enough to get the job done.

“It’s also nice to work with other nations and to see their culture. We got shown how to husk a coconut and learn a little about how they collect food. That was pretty cool.”