Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Visits SAF Troops in New Zealand

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman (second from right) and New Zealand Secretary of Defence Helene Quilter (third from right) interacting with SAF troops participating in Exercise Thunder Warrior.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) conducted an annual artillery exercise, codenamed Thunder Warrior, at the Waiouru Training Area in New Zealand. About 470 troops from the 21st and 24th Battalions, Singapore Artillery, are participating in this year's exercise held from 13 to 30 Jan 2013. Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman and New Zealand Secretary of Defence Helene Quilter visited the exercise this afternoon and observed a battalion live-firing exercise involving the Field Howitzer 2000 and the Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer, Primus.

Exercise Thunder Warrior has been conducted annually in New Zealand since 1997. The SAF and the New Zealand Defence Force interact regularly through a wide range of bilateral and multilateral training exercises, professional exchanges and courses, which underscores the close and long-standing defence relations between Singapore and New Zealand.

Troops from the 21st Battalion, Singapore Artillery participating in a battalion live-firing involving the Field Howitzer 2000.