Defence Force

Defence officials say they have not consulted with industry and academics about participating in AUKUS Pillar Two.

The RSA has been sending packages to military personnel deployed overseas at Christmas time for 84 years; a reminder of home.

Many staff are "utterly shocked" at the news and say the security of NZ's borders could be threatened, union says.

Civilian staff employed NZDF have started industrial action, unhappy not to be offered any increase in pay.

The government said this was to give the Defence Force the opportunity to engage in discussion with other countries, including partners in the Five Eyes intelligence group.

The planes have been plagued by multiple breakdowns, in one case nearly derailing a prime ministerial trade mission.

The rundown NZDF housing estate needs billions spent on it, but the main project has not secured any government funding despite plans dating back to 2017.

Commodore Garin Golding will be promoted to Rear Admiral and Brigadier Rose King to Major General - the first ever woman in that role.

The vessel is regularly deployed to the Pacific but is currently travelling around NZ training junior officers.

He says there are material threats to the Pacific region that have not been present before.

Together with their Australian counterparts the soldiers will test combat and combat support capabilities, the Defence Force says.

The Defence Force says it does not use the term "kill web" regarding high-tech military exercises, but is preparing to be more combat ready for the "battlefields of the future".

A series of discussions about the AUKUS security pact between New Zealand and Australian officials has been revealed in newly released documents.

The NZDF is one of a half-dozen militaries involved in regular exercises to link American and allied war-fighting technology more closely. Video