Nearly 50 New Zealand Army personnel have returned from Fiji following a valuable week of mortar and machine gun tactical training exercises.

Exercise Cartwheel involved soldiers from 16^th Field Regiment, Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery and 1^st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment delivering training courses to Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) personnel, to further build their 81mm mortar and sustained-fire machine gun capabilities.

The exercise culminated with a live fire exercise in the Nausori Highlands, which was a prime opportunity for RFMF and NZ Army soldiers to not only put theory into practice, but also enhance the relationship between the two forces and their ability to work together in a jungle warfare environment.

1 (NZ) Brigade Commander, Colonel Ben Bagley, was in Fiji for part of the exercise and says these opportunities are invaluable.

Republic of Fiji Military Forces and New Zealand Army soldiers link up for machine gun training during Exercise Cartwheel. Photo supplied.

“Purely on a tactical and technical level, any opportunity to get our soldiers into the field and put their skills into practice is fantastic, but Exercise Cartwheel is much more than just that. It allows us to spend some valuable time with one of our key Pacific partners in the RFMF and enhance our interoperability,” Colonel Bagley said.

“The feedback we receive from the RFMF has always been positive around this exercise, and we equally value the opportunity to come and learn from our partners – it goes both ways.”

Exercise Cartwheel is an annual RFMF-US Army Pacific bilateral exercise designed to train, assess and build light infantry and combat support warfighting capability. Fiji and the US are the main participants.

Partner nations like Australia and the United Kingdom also regularly take part, with the NZ Army involved in the past three editions.

Exercise Cartwheel is a valuable opportunity for NZ Army soldiers and RFMF personnel to spend time together in field conditions. Photo supplied.

“Getting the opportunity to link up with our partners for these exercises in the field is critical for our relationships in the region, because fundamentally we – Ngāti Tūmatauenga, the New Zealand Army – are from, and of the Pacific. What happens here is of huge significance to us all,” Colonel Bagley said.

“We’d like to thank our friends and partners in the RFMF for their continued trust and support in us, and welcoming us back here every year. The camaraderie between our people is as strong as ever, and we look forward to the next opportunity to link up.”

A soldier from 16^th Field Regiment, Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery performing a haka at the Exercise Cartwheel closing ceremony. Photo supplied.

Commanding Officer 3^rd Battalion Fiji Infantry Regiment (3FIR), Lieutenant Colonel Atunaisa Vakatale, says the exercise marks another milestone in the defence partnership of both nations, and reflects the understanding, trust and shared vision between both armies. 

“It also highlights the successful transfer of knowledge and skills, and the completion of training objectives that immensely contributes to the readiness and capabilities of both forces,” Lieutenant Colonel Vakatale said. 

“I am certain the training activities over the past three weeks have not only further enhanced our cooperation and interoperability, but it has also set the conditions for more people-to-people connections and networking amongst our troops.”