New Zealand soldiers have arrived at Camp Taji in Iraq to begin their deployment, the Defence Force has confirmed.

A Defence Force vessel carrying more than 150 staff who helped with the relief effort in storm-ravaged Vanuatu has returned to New Zealand after more than a month away.

An advance party of about 85 Australian and New Zealand troops left Australia yesterday in a joint training mission now called Task Force Taji.

Prime Minister John Key was unable to name the head of the Islamist terrorist group Isis - but nor could the Australian Defence Minister.

Kiwi troops are leaving for Iraq today to begin a two-year deployment working alongside Australian forces.

Labour has attacked the degree of secrecy about the preparation of a New Zealand troop deployment to Iraq.

Airbus has launched a hearts and minds campaign to make New Zealanders aware of what it has to offer the Royal NZ Air Force to replace its ageing Hercules.

The deployment of 106 Defence Force personnel to a military base in Iraq will include just 16 trainers, the New Zealand Defence Force chief confirmed yesterday.

Cabinet is expected to approve sending soldiers to help Iraqi forces fight the Islamic State group when it meets tomorrow.

Winston Peters says Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee should pay $43,550 in costs for an inquiry into his 'arrogant' security breach at Christchurch Airport last year.

NZ troops are preparing to return to Iraq, a decade after Kiwi soldiers were last in the violence-wracked nation. On Monday the cabinet is expected to set the ground rules for the deployment.

Replacing ageing military equipment is often fearsomely expensive.

The announcement that 150 NZ Defence Force personnel will begin pre-deployment training for Iraq at Linton and Waiouru military camps has been condemned.

A victim of a former air force sergeant convicted of abuse and rape over a 12-year period has slammed the Defence Force for its inaction.

A non-commissioned officer of the Defence Force has pleaded not guilty to six sex offence charges, but admitted another six charges at a Court Martial today.

A non-commissioned officer of the Defence Force is facing 13 charges including sexual offences.

Being far from his children on Christmas Day is hard for Major Brett Grieve, especially when he's stationed in Antarctica, but he knows it's all part of his duty, he says.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters claims "large-scale" military preparations are under way at New Zealand bases in anticipation of a deployment to Iraq.

The Prime Minister has said no directive has been given to the Defence Force from Parliament to prepare troops for deployment to Iraq.

Soldiers “fitness bombed” joggers on Auckland’s waterfront as part of a campaign to improve the fitness of those wanting to enlist.

The Government's carefully thought through approach to battling Isis at home and abroad is an extremely pragmatic and smart political strategy, writes Bryce Edwards.

John Key says he believes Isis is full of 'very bad people' and a military response is morally justified - but hasn't yet made a decision on whether NZ will fight them.

PM John Key appears to have been misinformed by the Defence Force about the nature of a Washington meeting of the United States-led coalition to defeat Islamic State.

The armed forces look set to increasingly rely on drones to defend New Zealand.

A soldier faced disciplinary action after he set off a Claymore mine in a live firing exercise in Afghanistan, injuring himself and another soldier.

Air force commanders allowed a dangerous and deadly culture of rule-breaking that ultimately resulted in the deaths of three young airmen, a court has found.