New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa

Media Release
7 May 2004

New Zealand Frigate Joins Multi-National Naval Force

HMNZS TE MANA has now joined 11 ships of the international coalition assigned to Operation Enduring Freedom.

The ships gathered briefly yesterday (May 6 2004) in a tight arrowhead formation, before splitting up to continue with their patrol and surveillance duties in the Arabian Sea.

Click for big version
From far wing of Arrow: USS LEYTE GULF (USA), SNS NUMANCIA (SPAIN), JDS MYOKO (JAPAN), PNS KHAIBAR (PAKISTAN), FGS AUGSBURG (GERMANY), JDS SAMIDARE (JAPAN), HMNZS TE MANA (NZ), ITSS CIROCCO (ITALY), USS CUSHING (USA)
Astern of Arrow: JDS TOWADA (JAPAN),
Astern of her: FSLA MOTTEPICQUET (FRANCE).

The multi-national naval formation comprised of three Japanese ships, two American and one each from Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Pakistan and New Zealand.

Te Mana set sail for the Middle East from Fremantle on 7 April. She will patrol for approximately four months before returning to New Zealand in September 2004.

Operation Enduring Freedom’s maritime patrol and surveillance operations extend from the coasts of Pakistan, across the entrances to the Persian Gulf and Red Sea to the coasts of Somalia in East Africa.

Click for big version
Right foreground: USS CUSHING (USA), ITSS CIROCCO (ITALY), HMNZS TE MANA (NZ), JDSS AMIDARE (JAPAN),
background: PNS KHAIBAR (PAKISTAN)

ENDS

© Scoop Media