The soldiers conducted a variety of training scenarios in Ardmore and Waiouru. Photo / NZDF
The soldiers conducted a variety of training scenarios in Ardmore and Waiouru. Photo / NZDF
In the tussock grasses of Waiouru Military Training Area, New Zealand Army snipers, supported by Australian and US Army comrades, recently delivered training to Pacific partners.
The Pacific Sniper module was one of three hosted by the NZ Army, which also included a Training Design and Intelligence module.
The coursewas delivered to support several “long-range reconnaissance units” within the Pacific, NZDF said, with soldiers from Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Fiji attending.
The soldiers conducted a variety of training scenarios in Ardmore and Waiouru, covering how to engage sniper targets, judge distances, stalk an objective, and trained skills around observing and reporting information and operating various equipment.
The NZ Army snipers who participated cannot be named for operational and security reasons.
Soldier X, one of the NZ Army snipers leading the exercise, said it went without saying that the ability to remain undetected was a fundamental skill for a “marksman”.
“[But] it’s so much more than just being able to move around stealthily – it’s the meticulous planning before you go into the field, it’s knowing every detail of your target’s movements and routines, it’s setting up decoys and employing deception techniques, and ultimately the need for incredible resilience and mental toughness to stay focused in all sorts of conditions, often isolated by yourself.”
Soldier X said training and operating alongside their “Pacific comrades” required “patience and a determination to succeed through kinship”.
“We may have soldiers come to us with varying levels of knowledge and skill, including language barriers, but the diversity of cultures within the NZDF gives us a great scaffolding to do this, and we are renowned for our ability to foster relationships and build rapport in the field,” they said.
“Marksmen are a different breed of soldier ... who take pride in their trade and are always looking for self-development. These are traits born out of our history and ones we wish to continue to strengthen alongside our Pacific brethren.”
The Pacific Sniper module was delivered to support various long-range reconnaissance units within the Pacific, with soldiers from Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Fiji attending. Photo / NZDF
NZ Army director of international engagements, Lieutenant Colonel Vanessa Ropitini, said training alongside Pacific partners was invaluable and offered the NZ Defence Force “valuable insight” in return.
“Ngāti Tūmatauenga, the NZ Army is from, and of the Pacific – and so having the chance to get out into the training area with our sisters and brothers from the Pacific is not only hugely valuable on a personal level to build on those peer-to-peer relationships, but it also provides crucial insights into how we each operate, where our collective strengths are and how we can best support each other in the tactical environment."
The NZ Army’s Director of International Engagements, Lieutenant Colonel Vanessa Ropitini, said the NZDF gains valuable insight in return. Photo / NZDF
Ropitini said the quality of soldiers in the Pacific was “incredibly high”, so the training was not about teaching the basics.
“It’s about how do we refine our skills at that top-level, to enhance each of our capabilities and lethality. We look forward to the next opportunity to work alongside our partners.”
