New Zealand, Australian, US troops begin joint land exercise

New Zealand, Australian and U.S. troops have begun a joint military exercise at the Waiouru training camp in New Zealand's central North Island, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) announced Tuesday. Forces from the New Zealand army and air force were conducting Exercise Alam Halfa with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps and the Australian Army from May 3 to 28, said a statement from the NZDF. The exercise continued the increase in training opportunities the NZDF was sharing with its defense counterparts, it said. It would consist of a live-fire component in Waiouru involving troops and light armoured vehicles, followed by a switch to blank firing at the Wairarapa-Tararua area. Exercise Alam Halfa was the first of two major field exercises this year for the New Zealand Army and was designed to exercise a combined arms task group concept within both counter-insurgency and conventional environments. The exercise would test personnel under a variety of conditions to replicate conflict scenarios. It was a precursor to Exercise Southern Katipo later in the year, which would have an even greater international contribution, said the statement without giving details.