Maintaining the safe ground

The five-day exercise took place at Raumai Range, west of RNZAF Base Ohakea, and was designed for personnel to spend time in the field clearing explosive ordnance in order for NH90 helicopters to land and be loaded with flares. 

“The exercise outcome was for remote loading of the flares on an NH90 helicopter, while in field conditions. It was a huge success,” armament technician Flight Sergeant Karl Brown said. 

Alongside No. 3 Squadron’s helicopter crews were armourers from Base Auckland and Base Ohakea, Ground Service technicians, No. 230 Squadron personnel and engineers from NZ Army’s 2nd Field Squadron. Medics were also brought in to train with “wounded” personnel at the end of the exercise.

It was a “steep learning curve” for some of the newer personnel who had not worked in field conditions since recruit course, F/S Brown said. 

“They stayed in a tented camp and cooked with rat packs – skills they need to maintain. As well as clearing ordnance, they also conducted contact drills where they encountered the enemy.

“We also observed NZ Army personnel’s techniques for finding mines in the field and additionally they taught us about the contact drills and basic soldier skills, which was really beneficial.”

The exercise included overnight sentry duty. 

“We had a lot of contacts - an enemy party came to engage us. And the culmination on the last day involved patrolling our area, clearing it, and landing and loading helicopters with flares,” F/S Brown said.

“On the last push we had contact with the enemy that produced simulated injuries, and medics and armourers needed to work together to get the injured ready for an emergency medevac by the helicopters.

“It was an incredibly valuable exercise benefitting a range of trades and services.”