Devonport Naval Base, Auckland, New Zealand, Monday 07 November 2016 – Exercise MAHI TANGAROA 2016 (EX MT 16) taking place from Thursday, 10th November 2016 until Thursday, 17th November 2016 at Devonport Naval Base, Auckland New Zealand will be an exercise involving 23 countries including Brunei as a multi-national task force from the association of ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting – Plus nations.
The Exercise began with the arrival of the Battle Staff involved in the exercise from the 5th of November to the 6th of November 2016, whereby 4 Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) officers are involved, including Commander Sahibul Bahari bin Haji Zainal Abidin, as Co-Exercise Director (Co-ExDir) of the exercise. The Commander Task Group 656.1 (CTG 656.1) for this exercise is Captain David McEwan of Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and Commander Jason Ward of the United States Navy (USN) as the Chief of Staff Exercise MAHI TANGAROA 2016. During the FTX Phase of the Exercise, ships involved will be sailing on the 11th of November 2016 until the 17th of November 2016. Exercises to be conducted at Hauraki Gulf of the coast of Auckland includes Boarding Exercises, Manoueuvring Exercises, Communication and Surveillance drills.
Following the Sea Phase of the exercise, RNZN will be celebrating their 75th anniversary with the conduct of the International Naval Review that will also be held off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand.
EX MT 16 is aimed to at promoting cooperation as well as interoperability, and information sharing among the ADMM-Plus member countries in addressing global challenges on non-traditional Maritime Security threats. It is also expected to incorporate the ADMM-Plus FTX Standard Operating Procedures and the document of Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES).
