ARMYPEOPLE 07
WORKING WITH THE AIR FORCE:
EXERCISE STEEL TALON
Soldiers from 5 Movements Company, 16 Field Regiment and the High Readiness Task Unit are training with the RNZAF on Exercise Steel Talon as this issue of Army News goes to print.
Exercise Steel Talon is a major tactical flying exercise in the central North Island designed to improve interoperability, test gunnery skills, and hone transport and air lift techniques. A strong premise running through Exercise Steel Talon is the relationship between the Air Force and the New Zealand Army. This was strengthened during fast roping training at Linton Military Camp for members of the High Readiness Task Unit from an NH90 helicopter, hovering about three storeys off the ground.
Lance Corporal Darren Pace said the training was to ensure the soldiers are qualified to work out of the Air Force’s NH90. “This particular training is really important to make sure that we can use it as an infiltration method in any situation. So if an NH90 can’t land on a surface including a building, structure or the ground, we can get on the ground and carry out our mission,” he said. “It’s so important to have that interoperability between the two services. They are obviously operated differently, but it is so important that we have a smoothrunning process operating between us, so that when we go overseas we work as a good team.” The NH90 was an ideal platform for the fast roping, “especially for the amount of people it can carry”, LCPL Pace said. “It’s quite handy for the High Readiness Task Unit and when we conducted an exercise involving weapons practice earlier this year it was great to see how well the infantry could work with the Air Force.” The July issue of Army News will include full coverage of the exercise.
