The NZ Army has taken on a new look with an updated uniform and the first soldiers to get to enjoy the new clothing and wear the Multi-Terrain Camouflage Uniforms (MCUs) is New Zealand 1st Brigade.
Captain Ian Leabourne, one of the project managers involved in the introduction of the MCUs, said there were many benefits to the new uniforms. “We have traditionally had our two patterns of uniform, one for the jungle and one for the desert. However, with the operational environments we face today, we can be operating in a variety of terrains within one area. We needed something which would do the job in whatever environment we deploy to. This uniform, with its unique NZ Defence Force pattern, solves this issue."
The uniforms include knee and elbow pads and there is also a flame resistant variant for soldiers to wear while on operations. The layered system sees the inclusion of wet and cold weather clothing layers which are designed to fit underneath and over top of the MCUs. [700x466]
Soldiers from 2 Signals Squadron are moving throughout the North Island on Exercise Hermes Coast to Coast.
Detachments are deploying up each side of the Island, from Whanganui to New Plymouth and Cambridge in the west, and Pahiatua to Napier and Taupo in the east.
The exercise is practising establishing the servers that are the backbone of computers in a major headquarters, alongside difficult long range high frequency (HF) radio communications between each side of the Island.
The group in New Plymouth has enjoyed three days working amongst the public - setting up antennas and satellite dishes amidst tobogganing schoolchildren on Mt Taranaki, then moving to a much lower altitude amongst the runners and cyclists enjoying the coastal walkway.
The exercise will conclude with a combined activity in Tauranga working to resolve any outstanding issues that occurred while the detachments were separated, and to identify what worked well. [700x461] [700x465] [700x465] [700x465] [700x465] [700x465]
Our future officers are hard at it, training in the tussock in the Waiouru Training Area during exercise Takrouna.
Imagery from OCS Ex Takrouna - held in Waiouru.
The exercise involved the Officer Cadets taking command and control of platoons to carry out specific tasks, including an assault on an enemy position including the use of bangalores.
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