Wellington, July 29 More than 300 reserve soldiers of the New Zealand Army have taken part in a major combat training exercise, aimed at enhancing operational readiness and ensuring seamless integration with the regular forces.
According to an official statement released by the New Zealand Defence Forces (NZDF), the nine-day exercise, named Tauwharenikau, was held at the Waiouru Military Training Area and included participation from over 70 regular force personnel. It featured combined arms training based on a simulated conflict scenario involving civil unrest on a fictional South Pacific island.
Led by the 5th/7th Battalion of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, the exercise focused on mission execution driven by intelligence and realistic field conditions, including sub-zero temperatures.
Lt Colonel Shaun O’Connor, Commanding Officer of the lead unit, said the exercise was designed to prepare the personnel to embed quickly into the first (New Zealand) Brigade when needed.
“The work that goes into maintaining combat readiness is at the heart of what we do as an organisation, giving us the skills, tools and resilience to respond to any situation when called upon,” he said.
“Reservists are trained to the same standard and meet the same operational levels as their Regular Force peers, and bring a valuable diverse mix of backgrounds, expertise and skillsets to the Army.”
The Reserve Force, comprising more than 2,000 personnel, plays a vital role in supporting both domestic and international operations.
Colonel Brendon Jull, Assistant Chief of Army for Reserves, stated that the training reflects the army’s capacity to manage simultaneous large-scale commitments. While Exercise Tauwharenīkau was underway, nearly 700 NZDF personnel were deployed to Australia for Exercise Talisman Sabre.
“This illustrates our ability to operate across multiple domains and with international partners,” Jull added.
Looking ahead, the Reserve Force plans to deploy a company-sized contingent to the next Talisman Sabre exercise in 2027.
The training scenario included a command-and-control centre, a light infantry rifle company with three platoons of 33 soldiers each, and support units such as engineers, signallers, armoured personnel, intelligence specialists, medics and dental staff.
Other assets included unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) detachments from the Army’s 16th Field Regiment and the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), as well as explosive detection dogs, infantry support dogs, and a mounted reconnaissance team from the Waikato Mounted Rifles.
Reserve Force soldiers typically train on a fortnightly or monthly basis and are eligible to participate in NZDF exercises both nationally and internationally, based on operational requirements and availability.