New Zealand Army

[riksavage]

My son’s motivation to join the RM was driven by opportunity. 3 Commando Brigade is well trained, equipped and conducts a wide variety of training / opp's ranging from mountain / arctic, jungle to desert. If he decides to go SF he can try out for SBS / SAS or endeavour to become an ML. A close associate of mine in the RM has just returned from Afghanistan, he will take leave then travel to the Himalayas for high-altitude training with his troop. The size of the NZ military simply does not afford the same opportunities.

Agreed the NZ SF is highly regarded and trained. I would argue they are not the best quite simply because they don’t have the logistical support and equipment to allow them to fully ‘stretch their wings.’

 

[Karlo]

Even though someone from New Zealand goes and joins the British Army, if he maintained a duel citizenship, would he not be able to still apply for NZSAS selection?

Btw has anyone yet discovered somewhere to download the 4 part doco? I live in Australia and it didn't get shown here.

cheers

 

[riksavage]

UK, NZ and OZ personnel serve in each others armies as attached ranks, and in some cases have transferred over on a permanent basis. There are for example a considerable number of Aussie and NZ personnel in the UK military, including SF. The following link is from the Para Regiment website specifically for Commonwealth / overseas applicants.

http://www.army.mod.uk/para/overseas_recruting.htm

I also know of UK personnel who are, or have served in the Oz/NZ military, so subject to the successful completion of selection, there should be no reason why they can’t join the SAS.

 

[Nighthawknz]

I also know of UK personnel who are, or have served in the Oz/NZ military, so subject to the successful completion of selection, there should be no reason why they can’t join the SAS.

yes this use to happen in my day as well we had, an aussie wasp pilot, a pommy PWO, and a few juior ranks on exchange... I had the opportunity to go on a Aussie destroyer for six month, but was called off at the last moment... (gawd damit) due Wellington was called back for disater relief.

 

[Norm]

SAS Corporal Willy Apiata awarded the Victoria Cross

Extract NZ Hearald

In 2004 Lance Corporal Apiata was part of an NZ SAS patrol in Afghanistan.
The troops had put up a defensive formation for the night when they were attacked by a group of around 20 enemy fighters. Grenades destroyed one of the troops' vehicles and immobilised another.
This was then followed by fire from machine guns and further grenade attacks.

The initial attack was aimed at the vehicle where Lance Corporal Apiata was stationed, and he was blown off the bonnet by the impact of the grenade. He was not physically injured but another soldier - named only as Corporal D - was in a serious condition.

The soldiers were under constant fire from the enemy and, as they were exposed by the fire from the vehicle, they immediately tried to take cover.

Corporal D's injuries were life threatening, and the other two soldiers began to apply first aid.

Apiata took control of the situation, as D was rapidly deteriorating. However, he was in a very exposed position and the enemy fire was becoming increasingly intense.

D was suffering from arterial bleeding and so Apiata came to the conclusion that he needed urgent medical attention or he would die.

So without considering abandoning his fellow soldier to save himself Apiata decided to carry D to the safer position where the rest of their troops were stationed and where D could get proper medical attention. Apiata then carried D seventy meters through exposed ground and enemy fire - and miraculously neither man was hit.

Apiata then resumed the fight.

Medical evaluation revealed that D would have probably died from blood loss had it not been for Apiata's bravery in getting him the proper medical attention. D is now back on active duty.

Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae, said Corporal Apiata was a humble man who when praised for his bravery had said: "I was only doing my job, boss."


Great News. Its in all the news,I'm sure few more links will appear , here's the link to TV3
http://www.tv3.co.nz/NZerwinsVictoriaCrossfor1sttimesinceWW2/tabid/209/articleID/29953/Default.aspx

 

[regstrup]

Anyone who has any news about the future role and organisation of the QAMR ?

 

[AGRA]

From my understanding QAMR was just a single Squadron (Company) now?

If the Kiwis are following Australian armoured cavalry organisation each squadron has a squadron headquarters and three troops. Each troop is made up of three sections. Each section includes two ASLAV-25s and a cavalry scout team. The ASLAV-25s do not normally carry passengers in the back so a third ASLAV, an ASLAV-PC (Bison APC) is issued. The larger GEN III NZLAV vehicles have more room in the back so would carry the cav scout team without a APC – which I don’t think the Kiwis even have. The ASLAV-PC is armed with a 12.7mm HMG and most have been fitted with a Kongsberg Protector RCWS. Initial plans were to fit the ADI BACWS [Behind Armour Commander’s Weapon Station] which was sort of half copula, half RCWS.

 

[regstrup]

From my understanding QAMR was just a single Squadron (Company) now?

If the Kiwis are following Australian armoured cavalry organisation each squadron has a squadron headquarters and three troops. Each troop is made up of three sections. Each section includes two ASLAV-25s and a cavalry scout team. The ASLAV-25s do not normally carry passengers in the back so a third ASLAV, an ASLAV-PC (Bison APC) is issued. The larger GEN III NZLAV vehicles have more room in the back so would carry the cav scout team without a APC – which I don’t think the Kiwis even have.

So if we use the Australian organisation, the Kiwis would just be able to have two cavalry sguadrons with the remaning 40 NZLAV organized in the QAMR.

As you write, there is more room in the NZLAV than in the ASLAV-25, so there is no need for at third vehicle to carry the scout team in the sections. There would be room for 8-10 soldiers split among the two NZLAV and there would stil be room for ground radar and other types of surveillanceequipement.

Another option could be to develop the QAMR towards more as a reconnaissanceunit. Each troop could then have four light scoutvehicles attached to the two NZLAV.

Then the NZLAV could preforme the role as surveillance- and supportvehicles equipt with groundradar and heavy supportweapon like the 25 milimeter gun, ATG and a small crewserved 60 milimeter morter.

The light scoutvehicles should be armed with 12.7 and 7.62 MG and the crew equipt med NVG. This would create a flexible and highly mobile unit with some punch.

But the NZ army must have some plan or ideas of, how to use the QAMR and the remaning NZLAV ?

Just to let it preforme as battletaxis for the light infantrybatalion is in my opinion a waste of the remaning 40 NZLAV. The light infantrybatalion sould concentrate on the the light role and then the QAMR could concentrate on the roles of a cavalry- and recconnaissanceunit.

This would give the NZ army a toolbox of three frontlineunits consisting of light infantry, motorized infantry and cavalry/reconnaissance. The army could then pick the necessary types of units to tailor the right combatgroup for the mission, wether it is for peacekeeping-, peaceinforcing- or warfightingmissions.

 

[AGRA]

The NZ Army only has 105 LAV IIIs all of which have 25mm guns except a few recovery versions. Because of the need to supply several vehicles for individual training and for a repair and attrition float only about 70-80 will be available for issue to combat units. This is enough for four (4) squadron/companies. Three in 1 RNZIR and one in QAMR.

 

[regstrup]

AGRA

I can se the challenge, but if we look at the option of developing the QAMR towards more as a reconnaissanceunit, where each troop have two NZLAV with ground radar, other types of surveillanceequipement, a scout-/fireteam in the back and four light scoutvehicles armed with MG.

If the is 4 troops in each squadron, that would take a requirement for 8 NZLAV's plus one as a commandvehicle and one NZLAV recoveryvehicle. So that would take in all 10 NZLAV for each of the two squadron. With the numbers that you mentioned, it sould be possible to have 20 NZLAV of the 70-80 available for the QAMR if organized as a reconnaissancebataljon.

I know, that the danish army have had great succes in Afghanistan using their light protected scoutvehicles in combination vith APC's, when fighting the Taliban. The Royal Marines and the Paras have also had great succes using light and mobile vehicles in Afghanistan.

The NZLAV is just as fast and mobile as the light vehicles, so they will add more firepower to the reconnaissanceunits. The danes would have loved to have the backup of the 25 mm guns

 

[AGRA]

The devloping concept of the Land 400 project (entire new family armoured vehicles and other suvivability assets from 2015) for the Australian Army includes a recce and survillance vehicle in the class of Fennek and Eagle. So we may see a CFV (LAV type) and RSV mix for the future Australian armd cav sqn. Though the RSV is most likely to be used to replace un-armoured, or lightly protected (SEK) Landrover type vehicles. The problem of mixing LAV/RSV is the different mobilty levels of the vehicles. APC/RSV no problem but LAVs can swim and really gun it at ~100kph over some unexpected terrain.

 

[regstrup]

The problem of mixing LAV/RSV is the different mobilty levels of the vehicles. APC/RSV no problem but LAVs can swim and really gun it at ~100kph over some unexpected terrain.

I am not sure, that I understand your point here, so could you please elaborate it ?

 

[kizilsungur]

Hi Guys, before Christmas I saw a media report that suggested that the NZ army had conducted a review of how it was going to organise its battalions. This review was a result of manpower shortages and new equipment. This review was finished the same time as the Defence Sustainability Initiative released in May 2005, but has not been released.

I have seen nothing since, but I know the Australian army is looking at changing its Squad/Platoon organisation to introduce heavy weapons into a Platoon, the Royal Marines have done something similar, and am wondering if it is connected with this. Or (more likely) it is looking at how to organise the battalion around a smaller number of personnel.

Appreciate any info that anyone may have.

Wow. I wonder on...

 

[regstrup]

Wow. I wonder on...

What is your point ????????

 

[Rocco_NZ]

NZLAV issue scales

The NZ Army only has 105 LAV IIIs all of which have 25mm guns except a few recovery versions. Because of the need to supply several vehicles for individual training and for a repair and attrition float only about 70-80 will be available for issue to combat units. This is enough for four (4) squadron/companies. Three in 1 RNZIR and one in QAMR.

Current issue:

16FdRegt 3
1RNZIR 46
2EngrRegt 6
QASqn 19

CbtSch 22

LogExec 1
Storage 4
Canada 1

Total 105

(Source: Parliamentary Question for Written Answer 13376)

 

[AGRA]

I am not sure, that I understand your point here, so could you please elaborate it ?

I am not sure, that I understand your point here, so could you please elaborate it ?

Sorry for the lateness of reply. If you have a sub-unit with mixed vehicle mobility classes like a mix of LAV types and Fennek/Eagle types then there are circumstances in which this can effect the sub-unit (troop, platoon, squadron, company, etc) in a negative manner. For example they encounter a water obstacle – well the LAVs can swim across but not the Fenneks. Narrow roads the Fenneks can drive down but not the LAV. And so on.

Also there is the tactical deployment. Australian armoured cavalry units are not surveillance units – they have a surveillance troop in the RHQ. They are designed for rapid movements, fighting for information, screening and low impact force presence. Fennek/Eagle types are from the sneak and look school of reconnaissance and are typically used to position themselves and surveil an area without being detected. These are different missions and should therefore be given to different units organised for the different missions.

While the Fennek/Eagle types are cheaper and have lower profiles this role can soon be taken up by unmanned ground vehicles like the FCS ARV-A(L) and ARV-RSTA.

Also I’m against using Fennek/Eagle types for offensive support forward observers (JOST/JTAC). In this case the Fennek/Eagle tends to have target locator equipment that is effectively the same as the static foot mobile types. In a mounted FO capability the target locator equipment needs to be in a stabilised turret like on the CV90 FOV so offensive support can be directed onto targets while the vehicle is moving.

The role for Fennek/Eagle types is replacing unarmoured RSVs like Landrovers to provide better force protection for these types of troops. Not being substitutes for more capable vehicles like LAVs.

 

[NZDF FAN]

It's finally out on DVD! I can't wait to get my hands on it......gives people a really in-depth look into the capability of the NZDF. Must be good for recruitment, putting these kind of docos out

 

[mug]

$34.95 at Whitcoulls.

 

[NZDF FAN]

Cheers. It's definately a must have for Kiwi military nuts. But Mike McRobert's voice can get annoying.......

 

[Todjaeger]

It's finally out on DVD! I can't wait to get my hands on it......gives people a really in-depth look into the capability of the NZDF. Must be good for recruitment, putting these kind of docos out

What is the name of the program? I would be interested in seeing if I can get a Region 0 or Region 1 NTSC format version, but need the title to search.

-Cheers