ANZUS EXERCISE HERE NEXT MONTH

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 16, 18 September 1984, Page 13

ANZUS EXERCISE HERE NEXT MONTH

The North Island's central high country is to be the scene for the land phase of a major exercise, TRIAD 84, over the period 3-14 October. In place of the sound of gunfire however, only the airwaves will be noisy as some 1450 soldiers from Australia ( 1 22), New Zealand (1240) and the United States (85) take part in a large 'wargame' exercise. Exercise TRIAD 84 was announced by the Minister of defence, Mr F.D. O'Flynn, on 30 August. It will allow the land and air forces of the three ANZUS allies to gain experience working together in conventional operations. TRIAD 84 will also provide an important opportunity to test tactical procedures, as well as command and control systems for land and air operations. The land phase of TRIAD 84 has been designed to exercise the allied armies in command and control

procedures for defensive operations at a divisional level. An exercise of this type is particularly cost-effective. Only major 'player' headquarters, their commanders and staffs, will be practised in an operational environment, without the expense of deploying large numbers

of troops and vehicles into the field. The senior 'player' headquarters will be HQ 4th (ANZUS) Division, located within Waiouru Camp. Three subordinate brigadegroup headquarters will be deployed tactically into nearby training areas and will be staffed by personnel

from Hawaii, Sydney and New Zealand. An initial work-up exercise will be held between 3-8 October. This will be followed by the TRIAD 84 Command and Signals exercise, over the period 914 October. In the exercises's scenario, 4th (ANZUS) Division will be required to conduct a delaying defence operation against a larger advancing enemy force. This phase of TRIAD 84 will be directed by higher headquarters (representing Corps HQ), and will incorporate battlefield simulation techniques. The control headquarters, using a large 'war-game' board depicting the exercise area topography, will utilise these techniques to create realistic combat situations for the four 'player' headquarters beingexercised. In reacting to these situations sound tactical combat decisions, combined with good staff work, will be rewarded by success.