Military exercises in South Island New Zealand

Now this is an interesting one:

“Organisers have created a scenario where the lower half of the South Island is a South West Pacific country called Mainlandiar. For the purposes of the exercise, the top half of the South Island doesn't exist and the North Island is New Zealand.

“In the scenario, Mainlandiar has held an election with the ousted prime minister refusing to go, supported by a militia.”

Defence force training in South Canterbury 

Arguably the biggest defence force exercise in New Zealand history, one involving overseas allies, will kick off in South Canterbury with the arrival of troop-laden amphibious craft on a local beach in November

Timaru Herald,

15 October, 2013

Named Southern Katipo 2013, the three-week exercise will involve the defence forces of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Tonga and New Zealand.

It will be followed by others in 2015 and 2017 aimed at testing the New Zealand Defence Force's capability of deploying to a South West Pacific island or nation, aided by other nations, if needed.

The 2000 army, navy and air force personnel will include 500 from overseas, while the US will contribute four of the eight C-130 Hercules aircraft, along with two large military transport C-17 Globemasters.

The airspace over Timaru will reverberate to the sound of 10 helicopters, including three new NH90s.

Although Southern Katipo chief of staff Commander Peter Kempster did not yet have a figure, he said the exercise would put "major dollars" into the local economy.

Organisers have created a scenario where the lower half of the South Island is a South West Pacific country called Mainlandiar. For the purposes of the exercise, the top half of the South Island doesn't exist and the North Island is New Zealand.

In the scenario, Mainlandiar has held an election with the ousted prime minister refusing to go, supported by a militia.

A coalition of New Zealand and the nine other nations has formed the International Stability Mission for Mainlandiar (Instamm).

Troops and vehicles will be brought ashore on a local beach (weather permitting) on amphibious craft, with the intention of "securing" Timaru Airport.

Once this is accomplished, the aircraft will fly in.

The opposition is centred in Waimate "with a small enclave of bad people in Cave", Commander Kempster said.

A tent city will be erected at Timaru Airport with Waimate, Cave and the Waitaki Valley, with its dams, seeing action.

The exercise will involve the naval ships Canterbury, Wellington, and a French-supplied frigate. The French will also contribute aircraft.

The naval ship Canterbury will also travel to Bluff to "evacuate" 120 Invercargill people, who will spend a night in Dunedin.

VIPs, including American and French generals, will visit.

The exercise starts on November 9 or 10, depending on the weather.

No roads will close in Timaru. Timaru Airport flights will continue as normal, with the large aircraft flying to and from Ohakea and Auckland each day.