Defence Ministry stops, restructures exercises

Press, 12 August 1985, Page 16

Defence Ministry stops, restructures exercises

PA Wellington The Ministry of Defence has cancelled or restructured 22 joint exercises this year which were previously planned under the A.N.Z.U.S. umbrella, according to papers released by the chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, Ms Helen Clark.

In reply to a written question, the departmental paper said 22 exercises planned for this year had either been cancelled or restructured because of the A.N.Z.U.S. Treaty difficulties.

“Approximately 6000 man-days of training have been lost affecting all three services. In addition, plan-

ning and logistics staff have lost out on opportunities to prepare for such training,” the paper said. The paper said the United States would not agree to American and New Zealand elements’ exercising together. “The main effect of the curtailment of New Zea-land-United States defence co-operation has been a reduction in the opportunities available to our servicemen to practise a range of skills necessary to maintain professionalism, training standards and interoperability with our allies.”

The paper said that the loss of exchange appointments with the United States as the present tours ended would also have an

impact on the maintenance of up-to-date professional standards, unless substitute arrangements could be made.

However the papers revealed that the supply of equipment and spares from American vendors appeared not to have changed. The Ministry buys a lot of military equipment, spares and ammunition from the United States each year. The papers showed that supply matters were now processed in accordance with prescribed procedure and timing. Previously preferential treatment had been accorded.

The papers also revealed that the Air Force plans to buy 125 laser-guided smart bombs for training.