The New Zealand Defence Force will shortly deploy air and naval assets to support United Nations monitoring of North Korea as it also conducts operations, training and engagements with partners while in the region.
The NZDF regularly deploys assets and personnel throughout the Indo-Pacific as part of New Zealand’s commitment to supporting a secure and prosperous region.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon will this month participate for the first time in a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force-led Annual Exercise. The tactical exercise, involving anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, is a multilateral exercise involving Japan, the United States, Australia, Canada, France and New Zealand.
It takes place around Japan and will involve about 20 vessels and 20 aircraft.
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Air Component Commander Air Commodore Andy Scott said the exercise was “a fantastic opportunity to train with partners in the region, demonstrate interoperability, build on our relationships, and strengthen cooperation between our forces”.
Following the exercise, the Poseidon and personnel will continue to be based in Japan to contribute to operations detecting and deterring evasions of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions resolutions on North Korea.
The sanctions are intended to persuade North Korea to denuclearise and abandon its ballistic missile weapons capabilities.
Patrols, over international waters, look for violations of the sanctions resolutions including illicit ship-to-ship transfers of banned goods such as oil and coal.
For the second year, Royal New Zealand Navy sustainment vessel HMNZS Aotearoa will also contribute to the UNSC efforts.
After time in Singapore and fresh from the Five Power Defence Arrangements’ Exercise Bersama Lima, HMNZS Aotearoa, with an embarked Seasprite helicopter, has been readying for its contribution to UNSC monitoring.
Last year, the ship located four vessels of interest, questioned 62 vessels and broadcast 52 deterrent messages. It also conducted nine operational replenishments at sea to allow partner nations’ warships to stay at sea longer and increase the effectiveness of the overall effort.
Commanding Officer, Commander Rob Welford, said the ship would again conduct surveillance patrols and reporting as well as replenishments of partner nation vessels, operating in the region.
“Last year, there was considerable interest shown by Chinese Peoples’ Liberation Navy ships and we also saw Russian Federation Navy vessels as well. And then on top of that there’s the unpredictability of the country we’re enforcing sanctions on,” he said.
“Supporting the international rules-based order is a very real statement when you’re on the water up here doing the mahi.”
“I know I can talk on behalf of everybody aboard the ship when I say we’re looking forward to playing our part again,” he said.
The ship will also conduct official visits to Vietnam and the Philippines while in the region.
New Zealand contributes to the Pacific Security Maritime Exchange, a multinational coalition formed in 2018 to monitor UNSC sanctions. The NZDF has been deploying its long-range maritime patrol aircraft to conduct UNSC monitoring missions since then.
