Australia-led Exercise Cooperation Spirit 2012 begins

The Australian Defence Force (ADF), New Zealand Defence Force and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) China are jointly conducting Exercise Cooperation Spirit 2012, aimed to enhance relationships, interoperability while focusing on joint humanitarian crisis responses.

Hosted by the ADF, Exercise Cooperation Spirit 2012 is scheduled to be held from 29 October to 2 November 2012 at Enoggera Barracks, Brisbane, Australia.

During the drill, approximately 30 personnel from the PLA China and 24 personnel from the ADF will perform defence force presentation on the Christchurch earthquake response and will also build linkages while conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.

The drill also involves discussion based table top planning activity, a HADR Multinational Medical Unit capability demonstration, as well as a tour of flood-affected areas of Brisbane.

New Zealand Army senior national officer lieutenant colonel Chris Mitchell said that the Cooperation Spirit 2012 builds on the three nations’ HADR experiences and will assist in leveraging mutual understanding and awareness of health response capabilities.

"Participating in exercises like Cooperation Spirit 2012 enables the NZ Defence Force to prepare for a variety of contingencies to ensure that New Zealand can play its part in working with other nations to respond effectively to humanitarian aid and disaster relief events, and contributing to regional peace and stability," Mitchell added.