(VOVworld) – New Zealand will send a 60-strong contingent and a P-3K2 Orion surveillance aircraft to Malaysia this week to take part in annual multi-national exercises in the East Sea.
 

A P-3K2 Orion aircraft leaves Auckland bound for the United Arab Emirates, where it will join a multi-national task force focusing on counter-piracy. (photo: http://www.nzdf.mil.nz)

The New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) said Monday that it would be joining Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK to carry out three weeks of training as part of Exercise Bersama Lima.
Bersama Lima is conducted annually by member countries of the Five Power Defence Arrangement, which was signed in 1971.
The Commander of the Joint Forces New Zealand, Major General Tim Gall, said in a statement that strengthening professional relationships with these countries was important to ensure interoperability.