New Zealand
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Oceania
Allies, Partners aid humanitarian efforts in earthquake-damaged Vanuatu
FORUM Staff Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the United States and other nations are aiding Vanuatu after an earthquake hit the country’s capital, Port Vila, in mid-December 2024. The 7.6 magnitude earthquake leveled buildings, cracked bridges, destroyed water reservoirs, knocked out communications and internet access, and shut down the main wharf. Authorities said the quake killed at least 12…
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Oceania
Oceania defense force appointments highlight growing interoperability
FORUM Staff A series of historic firsts are accelerating initiatives to deepen interoperability among Allies and Partners as Oceania defense forces pursue shared national interests. In October 2024, New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) Maj. Gen. Hugh McAslan was named Australia’s deputy chief of joint operations, the highest-level posting of a foreign military officer to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), according…
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Partnerships
Multinational exercise builds readiness, creates legacy in Timor-Leste
FORUM Staff A quarter century after Australian troops first deployed to Timor-Leste to restore stability during civil unrest, Australian Army engineers and other specialists traveled to the island nation recently to enhance infrastructure and bolster interoperability and readiness. The 13th iteration of Exercise Hari’i Hamutuk, which means “build together” in the local Tetum language, also included personnel from Japan, New…
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Partnerships
Joint patrols, defense agreements bolster New Zealand-Philippines strategic partnership
Maria T. Reyes New Zealand and the Philippines are expanding their security ties with a focus on promoting regional peace and stability. In a notable move, the Royal New Zealand Navy deployed its largest ship, HMNZS Aotearoa, to join vessels from Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States for South China Sea patrols in September 2024. Manila and Wellington…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Indo-Pacific partners pledge NATO cooperation
FORUM Staff Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea joined NATO defense ministers meetings in mid-October 2024 and agreed to bolster cooperation against attempts to alter the status quo through force or coercion. The ministers met in Brussels, Belgium, amid growing belligerence by the People’s Republic of China in the South China Sea and elsewhere, and Russia’s unprovoked war against…
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Features
Advancing Space Partnerships
Lt. Stephen Schroeder/U.S. Navy, U.S. Space Command Joint Integrated Space Team Pacific The United States and its Allies and Partners are at the forefront of an emerging era of opportunity. Space’s critical role in the global commons has gained considerable attention in recent years, and the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) guidance has never been clearer: “Space is now a…
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Features
Trained, Prepared, Forward
FORUM Staff A helicopter hovers within arm’s reach of a Soldier astride a howitzer. Dust and rain lash New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and United States Army personnel under storm-darkened skies and thundering aircraft at Helemano Military Reservation, Hawaii. Sling load training, one facet of the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) drills occurring across the archipelago’s eight main islands, demonstrates…
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Partnerships
France, Philippines deepen defense cooperation amid Indo-Pacific tensions
Maria T. Reyes A French Air and Space Force contingent on the Pegase 2024 mission stopped in the Philippines for the first time in July as part of France’s annual Indo-Pacific deployment to demonstrate combat power and air diplomacy. France and the Philippines have been steadily increasing their security engagements and deepening their defense ties. In recent months, the nations…
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Northeast Asia
Allies, partners enhance all-domain readiness with military exercises across Indo-Pacific
FORUM Staff More than 30 allied and partner militaries deployed personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, uncrewed vehicles and other assets across the Indo-Pacific in mid-2024. The multinational, near-simultaneous exercises Pitch Black, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) and Valiant Shield stretched from Oceania and the Western Pacific to Northeast Asia. Tens of thousands of troops joined the all-domain training to build interoperability…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Amphibious, maritime force leaders collaborate for Free and Open Indo-Pacific
FORUM Staff In its 10th iteration, the Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium (PALS) unveiled a new motto: Stronger Together. It is a reminder that regular collaboration among Allies and Partners is the foundation to respond to crises and perform at a high level to ensure a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. PALS 24 drew delegations from 24 nations to Seoul, South Korea,…
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