Royal New Zealand Navy Task Group comprising of frigate HMNZS Te Mana (F111) and fleet oiler HMNZS Aotearoa (A11)

Meanwhile the Royal New Zealand Navy Task Group comprising of frigate HMNZS Te Mana (F111) and fleet oiler HMNZS Aotearoa (A11) which had participated in RIMPAC 2026 is now headed to the Indo-Pacific as part of a New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) deployment to the region to carry out joint operations, exercises and engagements throughout the Indo-Pacific from August to October, as part of the NZDF’s commitment to regional security, announced a release from the service.

The first activity scheduled is to monitor North Korea’s maritime sanctions evasion activities, “Fresh from exercising advanced capabilities during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), the Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Mana will turn its attention towards maritime security patrols in North Asia monitoring for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions breaches and evasions as part of a combined effort with partners.”, stated the release.

New Zealand has been a member of the Pacific Security Maritime Exchange (PSMX) since 2018, a partnership of nations working together to detect evasions of UNSC sanctions which are aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and the NZDF regularly deploys both air and naval assets to the region in support of PSMX patrols.

Earlier this year from late-March to mid-April, a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-8A Poseidon MPA carried out a PSMX patrol with China accusing the aircraft of harassing Chinese civilian aircraft while New Zealand refuted the accusation. North Korea’s ally China sees such missions as a cover for conducting surveillance and reconnaissance on China and routinely dispatches ships and aircraft to shadow foreign military missions, which has resulted in unsafe interactions.The NZDF stated that this is the first time that Te Mana has deployed in support of UNSC sanctions monitoring and Aotearoa will be in the area and will undertake sustainment activities for Te Mana and partner nations’ vessels. Following the PSMX patrol, the Task Group will support activities including an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) maritime cooperative activity, as well as a range of port calls including Australia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and South Korea, according to the release.

Concurrently the NZDF will also deploy personnel and a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon MPA to conduct multinational exercises in the region. This includes deploying the Poseidon to the Five Power Defence Arrangements’ (FPDA) Exercise Bersama Lima, which this year is being held in Singapore. The NZDF will also contribute personnel and specialist capabilities to a multinational ASEAN exercise held in Indonesia, in support of regional humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness.

Dzirhan Mahadzir

Dzirhan Mahadzir is a freelance defense journalist and analyst based in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Among the publications he has written for and currently writes for since 1998 includes Defence Review Asia, Jane’s Defence Weekly, Navy International, International Defence Review, Asian Defence Journal, Defence Helicopter, Asian Military Review and the Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter.

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