NZ Defence Force

NZ Defence Force Te Ope Kātua O Aotearoa | New Zealand Defence Force
Home of New Zealand's Navy, Army & Air Force

Before commenting on our posts, please make sure you’ve read and are following our community guidelines: http://bit.ly/nzdf-socialmedia-guidelines

We reserve the right to moderate comments and users that breach the guidelines. If you have concerns about any of the content on our social media pages, please email: [email protected]

King’s Birthday Honours🎖Congratulations to two of our personnel who have been recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday ...
31/05/2026

King’s Birthday Honours🎖Congratulations to two of our personnel who have been recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honour List.

Group Captain John McWilliam has been appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) following a five-decade career in aviation, which included many firsts and large contributions to aviation and also naval safety.
Full story ➡️ nzdf.mil.nz/GPCAPT-John-McWilliam

Warrant Officer Class 2 Rob Allen has been awarded the New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration (DSD) for leading emergency engineering responses to both a light aircraft crash and a deadly earthquake in Vanuatu.
Full story ➡️ nzdf.mil.nz/WO2-Rob-Allen

A proud day at Base Woodbourne yesterday as we celebrated the graduation of 15 Royal New Zealand Air Force Officer Cadet...
29/05/2026

A proud day at Base Woodbourne yesterday as we celebrated the graduation of 15 Royal New Zealand Air Force Officer Cadets from 26/01 Initial Officer Training.

The reviewing officer of the parade was Group Captain Peter Franken.

Initial Officer Training is a 16-week course that combines both classroom and field exercises that give our Officer Cadets theoretical and practical skills that will help in their future jobs as leaders in our Air Force.

A big focus on the training is on leadership, while they also learn other skills such as operational military planning, personnel management, self-awareness, and resilience.

Congratulations to our future Te Tauaarangi leaders.

📸 LAC G Francois

Extinguishing the flame 🧯🔥 Royal New Zealand Air Force Aviation Rescue Fire Fighters (ARFF) have completed their annual ...
27/05/2026

Extinguishing the flame 🧯🔥 Royal New Zealand Air Force Aviation Rescue Fire Fighters (ARFF) have completed their annual live fire training. The team conducted firefighting operations using pressurised fuels fires exposing our ARFF to heat and flame.

The training was conducted using the Fire and Emergency NZ National Training Centre in Rotorua.

This training ensures our ARFF are prepared and ready to act within the required response times to an aircraft incident.

The training requires them to work as a team under the supervision of an ARFF specialist to meet the aim and objective for the compliance training using prescribed tactics, techniques and procedures.

Over 50 Navy and Air Force personnel from Five Eyes (FVEY) and military partners, came together at Devonport Naval Base ...
25/05/2026

Over 50 Navy and Air Force personnel from Five Eyes (FVEY) and military partners, came together at Devonport Naval Base last week for the Theatre Surface Warfare Commanders Conference.

Over the course of the week, personnel from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States worked on the synchronisation of assets and enhancing bilateral and multilateral planning efforts across the Indo-Pacific region, in order to maximise operational advantages and strengthen interoperability between partner nations.

“The number of attendees highlighted the value of trusted partnerships and the importance of working together to support security, stability and maritime cooperation across the region." ~ Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Shane Arndell

📸 PO C Weissenborn

23/05/2026

We are a combat-capable force, trained, equipped, and ready to respond every hour of the day, every day of the year.

The home of the Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Find out more ➡️ nzdf.mil.nz
Join us ➡️ defencecareers.mil.nz

22/05/2026

Balikatan recap 🔁 Around 70 personnel joined 17,000 troops from the Philippines, Australia, the United States, Canada, France, and Japan during Exercise Balikatan in the Philippines.

The exercise sharpened the New Zealand Army’s ability to operate in modern jungle warfare conditions - heat, humidity, venomous snakes and insects of the jungle.

Full story ➡️ nzdf.mil.nz/Ex-Balikatan-26

NEWS📢 A Royal New Zealand Navy patrol vessel, supported by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, has rescued a injured solo y...
22/05/2026

NEWS📢 A Royal New Zealand Navy patrol vessel, supported by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, has rescued a injured solo yachtsman after a seven-hour search in heavy seas south of Wellington last night.

Navy personnel aboard Inshore Patrol Vessel HMNZS Taupo rescued the yachtsman from the 11-metre yacht after Air Force crew aboard a P-8A Poseidon found the vessel.

Taupo’s experienced sea boat crew reached the yacht in the ship’s Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat, taking the sailor off the yacht shortly before midnight.

“I don’t think we would have located him without the P-8A. They passed his position to us. We turned towards him as fast as we could – 18 knots – and reached him in 40 minutes.” ~ Commanding Officer of HMNZS Taupo, Lieutenant Commander Toby Mara

Full story ➡️ nzdf.mil.nz/Wellington-rescue

Leadership and readiness under pressure 🥾 Six New Zealand Army soldiers recently mixed it up alongside a number of inter...
22/05/2026

Leadership and readiness under pressure 🥾 Six New Zealand Army soldiers recently mixed it up alongside a number of international partners at the inaugural Pacific Land Forces Team Readiness Challenge in Hawai'i, hosted by the U.S. Army Pacific.

The NZ Army team, made up of three gunners and three engineers, covered 170km on foot across demanding terrain over a four-day period. Along the way, they completed a series of challenging tasks including urban and jungle navigation and leadership tests, while under sustained physical and cognitive stress.

The event was aimed at enhancing joint readiness and partner capacity in the Pacific.

📸 U.S. Army

21/05/2026

Run silent, run long 🌊 The Royal New Zealand Navy's Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) can operate 24/7, powered and propelled by sun, wind and wave action.

That makes them ideal long-range platforms to conduct maritime surveillance on a wide variety of tasks.

Their most recent operation was in partnership with New Zealand Customs in Northland monitoring vessels exhibiting behaviours that could indicate narcotics trafficking.

STORY📰 A case manager for Veterans' Affairs New Zealand is earning the respect of her clients while navigating newfound ...
20/05/2026

STORY📰 A case manager for Veterans' Affairs New Zealand is earning the respect of her clients while navigating newfound challenges as a New Zealand Army Reserve Force infantry soldier.

Private Gemma Board, from Tawa in Wellington, joined the Reserve Force in November and completed her infantry corps training in January.

Veterans’ Affairs is responsible for ensuring eligible veterans, and their families, can access the support and services they need in everyday life. Private Board says her clients have been cheering her on.

“Before coming on the Reserve Force course, I told a few of my veterans I was doing this and they were super proud. Several of them emailed me back, wished me luck and gave me little tips of what to do and what not to do around the training. They’ve backed me 100 percent. It’s good to have their support behind me.” ~ Private Gemma Board

Full story ➡️ nzdf.mil.nz/PTE-Gemma-Board

Address

Wellington

Website

http://www.defencecareers.mil.nz/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when NZ Defence Force posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to NZ Defence Force:

Shortcuts

Share

Category