NZDF assists Bougainville in destruction of WWII-era bombs

Two large unexploded Second World War-era bombs in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, have been made safe by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) after the Autonomous Bougainville Government asked for New Zealand’s help to dispose of them.

30 April, 2026

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel deployed to Bougainville to dispose of a 1000lb (454kg) bomb discovered at Aropa Airfield and a 500lb bomb found at Kieta Primary School.

The six-person EOD team, equipment and aid packages were flown to Bougainville on a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Hercules and then on to Aropa Airfield via an NH90 helicopter from No.3 Squadron.

The helicopter and crew were already in PNG delivering aid to areas hit by Tropical Cyclone Maila.

An earlier reconnaissance trip found the bombs were too dangerous to move and had to be destroyed in-place. Sandbags were placed around the sites and large cordons set up before the disposal.

Special Operations Component Commander, Colonel Grant Scobie, said that the EOD squadron was highly trained for these tasks.

“Disposal of explosive remnants of war is something we do regularly. Our personnel have completed recent disposal operations in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Nauru.

“We would like to acknowledge the leadership of the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the support and assistance of communities in Kieta and Aropa, which enabled us to successfully carry out the operation.”

Members of the EOD team will also be speaking at a community education event about how to safely mark and report unexploded ordnance when they are found.

A bomb before it was destroyed

Equipment used to destroy the bombs is unloaded from an RNZAF NH90 helicopter

Bougainville Police Service, NZDF, and New Zealand Police staff who were involved in the bomb disposal. Note, NZDF EOD staff have their faces blurred for operational security reasons

The RNZAF NH90 helicopters moved aid to areas hit by Tropical Cyclone Maila

This task rounds out a two-week mission in Papua New Guinea, as the NZDF worked with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF), Australian Defence Force, International Organisation for Migration and Mission Aviation Fellowship under the guidance of the Papua New Guinea National Disaster Centre to distribute aid to areas hit by Tropical Cyclone Maila.

Two NH90 helicopters had arrived with HMNZS Canterbury into Port Moresby on 15 April to carry out training with the PNGDF, but following a request from the PNG Government pivoted to aid delivery missions.

A C-130J was also subsequently deployed with aid supplies from New Zealand.

The training programme will resume this week.

The deployment to Bougainville has built on more than 25 years of New Zealand support to its peace, security and development, including through the Kirapim Stongpela Bougainville Polis Service, delivered by New Zealand Police, which provides capacity-building to the Bougainville Police Service, and helped to develop the Bougainville Auxiliary Police.

The NZDF’s Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Andy Scott, said No. 3 Squadron especially had a long-standing relationship with Bougainville.

In 1990, the squadron deployed UH-1H Iroquois helicopters to transport PNG and Bougainville delegations negotiating the Endeavour Accord, and again the squadron deployed with the NZDF-led international Truce Monitoring Group in 1997-1998.

“We value our long-standing friendship with Bougainville and so it was great for the 3 Squadron team to be able to head back to provide this support and further enhance our relationship,” Air Commodore Scott said.