Two F-35As from No. 3 Squadron operated from Ohakea Air Base during Exercise Agile Tasman from Sept. 7 to 10. A No. 37 Squadron C-130J rearmed and refueled the fighters, demonstrating how Australian air combat and mobility units can work together outside their home country.
The aircraft also supported the New Zealand Defence Force’s development of Joint Terminal Attack Controllers. That training gave New Zealand personnel experience coordinating air support with fifth-generation fighters.
“Ex Agile Tasman seeks to maximise the capabilities we have now, combining our efforts to protect our shared interests today,” said Wing Commander Mark Biele, who led the Australian contingent. He described the deployment as a practical test of how both countries can combine personnel, aircraft and support systems.
“Transitioning interoperability into interchangeability is a human endeavour,” Biele said. “The very special relationship we have with our best mates across the Tasman has demonstrated we can harness our technologies to deliver real people-powered capability today.”
New Zealand Chief of Air Force Air Vice-Marshal Darryn Webb said the work supported security beyond the two countries. “This is an exciting opportunity for the NZDF to work in concert with some of the most advanced warfighting technology in the world.”
“One of the key objectives we have set in working together is to enhance our operational readiness by conducting combined exercises which develop shared combat capability,” Webb said. “This exercise is an important step forward on that path.”
The deployment coincided with the 110th anniversary of the RAAF’s No. 3 Squadron. The unit marked the anniversary while conducting its first F-35A operations from New Zealand.
Source: Royal Australian Air Force.
