Exercise Silver Warrior – Waiouru, New Zealand
18 November 2005
All images Copyright Chris Gee 2005
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New Zealand’s new Infantry Fighting Vehicle, the NZLAV
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The Pinzgauer Light Operational Vehicle
Last week I had the privilege of being invited, as a freelance photographer, by the new Zealand Army to a live fire exercise as part of the lead up to Exercise Silver Warrior. Held at several locations across the central North Island of New Zealand, the exercise began on 13 November and is designed to confirm to the Minister of Defense and the government that the new motorized battalion has reached its directed level of capability (DLOC). This is a milestone the Army is required to achieve by December 2005. I was very lucky have the opportunity to witness a real-world test of the Army's two new assets, the NZLAV (based on the Canadian version of the Swiss MOWAG Piranha III) and the Pinzgauer LOV (Light operational Vehicle) which offer quantum leap in capability over the previous Vietnam era M113 APC’s, Landrovers and NMV’s.
The new Battalion, sprawled across several fields of iconic kiwi farmland, consisted of four platoons of NZLAV’s, each with four vehicles and 6 fully equipped Infantry per vehicle. A battery of four towed 105mm Light Field Howitzers, along with a company of two Engineer NZLAV’s and command Pinzgauers were in support. I did not see any Air Defense MISTRAL SAM systems deployed, but they are in use.
The first thing you notice about the NZLAV is that you don’t notice it at all… These massive machines are so quiet you can actually hear the grass crunching under their massive self-inflating wheels as they blend into the surrounding tussock, so by the time you notice it, it is upon you. The NZLAV Infantry Fighting Vehicle is state of the art, and contains equipment that is still classified, so we were not allowed to photograph inside the vehicles. Operated via a sophisticated Fire Control System, the 25mm stabilized automatic cannon forms the core of the weapons system of the NZLAV, along with two 7.62mm MAG Machine guns, one coaxial and one on the commanders station. The vehicle is protected by Anti Tank Missiles and Laser guided weapons by a Laser Warning system, which can be automated and launchs decoys and optically warping smoke from the 70mm grenade launchers. Inside, the mounted Infantry can observe the outside world via multifunction screen that can either show the gunners or drivers view. Apparently the view through the stabilized gun sight can be quite uncomfortable for the Infantry when traveling cross country, although the suspension system is a welcome change from the tracked M113’s. Even without modular Armor added the NZLAV offers all-aspect protection from mines, 12.7mm machine gun fire and protection from RPG’s across the frontal Arc.
The NZLAV is a true Infantry Fighting Vehicle, in that the mounted Infantry are able to engage the enemy without leaving the protection offered by the vehicle.
Dispite the controversy over the reduction in mobility from the previous M113 APC, the only real issue turned out to be the LAV’s limited turning circle compared to a tracked system, where the vehicle can turn within its own length. While this can be an advantage in Urban operations, the NZDF had found the LAV to be a vast improvement in turns of cross-country comfort (very important to reduce crew fatigue allowing longer periods of endurance), speed, range, operating cost and mobility.
Another big improvement to the New Zealand Army’s capability is communications. Each crew member of the NZLAV, including the dismounted infantry wears their own Personal Radio System, enabling each member to talk between them selves, the company, or the Battalion.
Communications was the aim of the day as it turned out, with the scenario employed during this exercise to be a motorized assault on a Rebel Communications complex.With the media in two LOV’s we followed the exercise observers past the Forward Gun line 9kms away from the intended target. As the 105mm Howitzer batteries were deployed we moved behind the NZLAV assault platoons to view the assault from the Tac Fire Line.
After hearing the much anticipated “Bang Galore in 5 Minutes” warning from the company commander the media readied their equipment and tripods. Luckily there were only 4 journalists, 2 Photographers (plus the embedded NZDF photographers) and one TV crew, so we didn’t have to jockey for a good view. Initially the target was suppressed by very accurately directed 105mm Artillery fire, then one of the NZLAV platoon opened up with Cannon and Machine gun fire from the Tac Fire Line where we were, while the two other platoons moved forward to dismount their Infantry and secure the Target.
I was shooting from the turret of a Pinzgauer LOV, with four NZLAV’s spread out on either side, each crouched down low against the ridge with just their turrets sticking over the edge. The closest vehicle to me was only five meters away . There is something indescribable about the sound these cannons make when go off. Each time the closest vehicle would fire, it was like someone slapping every inch of my body at once, but when the next vehicle fired from 20m it was like a firecracker, and when the furthest vehicle fired , from about 60 meters away, it sounding like a single hand clap. I imagine that combined with the steep terrain and minimal smoke and muzzle flash these weapons would be impossible to pinpoint from more than a few hundred meters away.
Unfortunately the exercise had to go “non-tactical’ when the scrub around the target caught on fire, and started to burn out of control. While it may seem strange to stop an assault due to a brush fire, it is important to remember that most of the massive NZDF property up in the central plateau of the North Island is also a wildlife reserve, and the Army does not take the superb environment in which it operates for granted.Within minutes the battalion turned into a firefighting unit, with dismounted infantry and specialist firefighting vehicles extinguishing the flames in a relaxed and efficient fashion. There was a belief from the Army personnel that it was the paint used for the tracers that was igniting the ground. This was a good chance to see the new Operational Fire Fighting Vehicle (a converted Unimog Truck) in action.
The vehicles returned to the Tac Fire Line and recommenced their assault. From our vantage point we could see grenade and cannon fire in the distance, and see the Fluorescent jackets of the Exercise Observers, but we could hardly see the well camouflaged soldiers and NZLAV vehicles.
Originally we were supposed to move to the Gun Fire Line as the exercise was replayed in darkness, where I was looking forward to getting some long exposure tracer fire photos, but unfortunately the other media weren’t that interested, so we headed back to base where I started a long drive back to Auckland.
I would like to thank the New Zealand Army and Major Denise Mackay for the invitation, cooperation and hospitality.
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