New Zealand Army

The New Zealand Army (or NZ Army) is the land armed force of the New Zealand military and comprises around 4,500 regular personnel and 2,500 non-regulars and civilians. The main part of the army is divided into 2 Land Force Groups, plus force troops

Structure of the New Zealand Army

2 Land Force Group	3 Land Force Group	Force Troops	Army Training Group
Regular Army	Regular Army
HQ 2 Land Force Group	HQ 3 Land Force Group		HQ Army Training Group
Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles	2/1st Bn, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment	1 NZ SAS Group	Land Operations Training Centre
1st Bn, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment	3 Field Troop, 2 Engineer Regiment	Force Military Police	Officer Cadet School
16 Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery	3 Signal Squadron	3/1st Bn, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment	Army Depot
2 Engineer Regiment	3 Logistics Battalion		New Zealand Army Marae
2 Signal Squadron	Medical Treatment Centre, 2 Health Services Battalion		New Zealand Army Band
Force Intelligence Group	3 Military Police Platoon		NZLAV Transition Team
2 Logistics Battalion	Training		New Zealand Army Simulation Centre
2 Health Services Battalion	Army Adventure Training Centre
2 Military Police Platoon	3 Regional Training Unit
Territorial Force	Health Services School, 2 Health Services Battalion
3rd Auckland (Countess of Ranfurly's Own) and Northland Battalion Group	Territorial Force
5th Wellington West Coast and Taranaki Battalion Group	2nd Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Battalion Group
6th Hauraki Battalion Group	4th Otago and Southland Battalion Group
7th Wellington (City of Wellington's Own) and Hawke's Bay Battalion Group

Tactical air transport for the army is provided by No. 3 Squadron of the RNZAF.

In the event of full mobilisation and deployment, the three infantry battalions plus the other necessary combat elements would form a brigade group, which exists on paper as 7 Brigade. HQ 2 Land Force Group would, if needed, form HQ 7 Brigade

The Land Operations Training Centre encompasses the main army trade schools:
Combat School
School of Artillery
Logistics Operations School
School of Tactics
Royal New Zealand School of Signals
Trade Training School
School of Military Intelligence and Security
Joint Catering School
School of Military Engineering, 2 Engineer Regiment

Regular Army

Territorial Force

The modern Territorial Force is divided into 6 battalion groups. Each of these is made up of smaller units of different specialities.

Regiment	Infantry	Armoured	Artillery	Engineers	Logistics	Signals	Medical	Band
3rd Auckland (Countess of Ranfurly's Own) and Northland Battalion Group	√	x	√	√	√	√	√	√
2nd Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Battalion Group	√	x	√	√	√	√	√	√
6th Hauraki Battalion Group	√	√	x	x	√	x	√	x
4th Otago and Southland Battalion Group	√	x	x	x	√	√	√	√
7th Wellington (City of Wellington's Own) and Hawke's Bay Battalion Group	√	x	√	x	√	x	√	√
5th Wellington West Coast and Taranaki Battalion Group	√	x	x	√	√	x	√	√

TF regiments prepare and provide trained individuals in order to top-up and sustain operational and non-operational units to meet directed outputs. TF regiments perform the function of a training unit, preparing individuals to meet prescribed outputs. The six regiments command all Territorial Force personnel within their region except those posted to formation/command headquarters, Military Police (MP) Company, Force Intelligence Group (FIG) or 1 New Zealand Special Air Services (NZSAS) Group. At a minimum, each regiment consists of a headquarters, a recruit induction training (RIT) company, at least one rifle company, and a number of combat support/combat service support companies or platoons.

3/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment exists as a cadre. If needed, it can be raised to full strength through the regimentation of the Territorial Force infantry units.

Major Equipment

105 x NZ Light Armoured Vehicle (NZLAV)
352x Pinzgauer Light Operational Vehicle
12 x Mistral anti-aircraft missile
Unimog trucks
34 x 105 mm L118 Light Gun
50 x 81 mm mortar
24 x Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) launchers
42 x 84 mm Carl Gustav recoilless rifle M3
M72 Light Armour Weapon
Browning 12.7 mm M2 machine gun
L7A2 FN MAG 58 7.62 mm GPMG
C9 Minimi 5.56 mm Light Machine Gun
M203 grenade launcher
F88 Steyr 5.56 mm assault rifle
SIG P226 9 mm pistol

M113 Upgrades

New Zealand decided in 2003 to replace its existing fleet of M113 Armored Personnel Carriers, purchased in the 1960s, with the LAVIII and the M113s were decommissioned by the end of 2004. An agreement made to sell the M113s via an Australian weapons dealer in February 2006 had to be cancelled when the US State Department refused permission for New Zealand to sell the M113s under a contract made when the vehicles were initially purchased. [http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/554440/662504

Dress

New Zealand Army uniforms have historically followed the British pattern with the high crowned "lemon squeezer" hat as the most visible national distinction. This was adopted by the Wellington Regiment about 1912 and became general issue during World War I. The different branches of service were distinguished by coloured pugarees or wide bands around the base of the crown. The "lemon squeezer" was worn to a certain extent during World War II, although often replaced by more convenient forage caps or berets. Modern field wear is the camouflage pattern worn by most armies with bush hats or berets according to occasion.

In recent years a number of distinctive New Zealand features have appeared. The "lemon squeezer", after being in abeyance since the 1950s, has been reintroduced for parade dress where it is usually worn with a version of the khaki "no 2" service dress of the British Army. Officer cadets and some bands wear this headdress with a scarlet full dress. A wide brimmed khaki hat with green pugaree, of a pattern formerly worn by the New Zealand Mounted Rifle (cavalry) regiments, has replaced the British style peaked cap as service dress headdress for all branches. The sashes worn by sergeants are now dark blue with white Maori motifs in place of the former British red. Short Maori cloaks are sometimes worn by senior officers as a mark of distinction on occasions of special ceremony. The British style mess uniform is still worn by officers and senior NCOs for formal evening occasions. A standard scarlet and blue pattern has recently replaced the various regimental and corps models.

Deployments

The New Zealand Army currently participates in three major overseas deployments:

Afghanistan - 123 personnel are attached to the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamian Province
Timor-Leste - An infantry company from 2/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment is deployed in East Timor under Australian command.
Solomon Islands - An infantry company from 2/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment is deployed alongside two Australian infantry companies as part of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands
In addition, small numbers of NZ personnel are deployed on various United Nations peacekeeping missions around the world, and with the Multinational Force and Observers.

External links

Military of New Zealand | Armies

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