After the ADF significantly increased its contribution to the bushfire crisis following the call out of up to 3000 Australian Army Reserve forces and other specialist capabilities, Defence announced that New Zealand and Singapore have also offered to assist.
The historic call-out of reserve brigades is further enhanced with the commitment of more Royal Australian Air Force aircraft, Australian Navy ships and other key equipment.
Three Royal Australian Navy ships are now supporting Operation Bushfire Assist, with HMAS Adelaide sailing from Sydney yesterday and expected to arrive off the NSW south coast today.
Adelaide has been initially tasked to support evacuation operations at Mallacoota.
A Defence spokesman said Defence was also working with the New Zealand Defence Force and the Singapore Armed Forces to finalise offers of support to join the ADF in coming days.
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More details will become available in coming days.
“Australia has received additional offers from other international partners and expects these to be progressively developed as need and circumstances evolve,” the spokesman said.
“The priority for Defence is to assist in ensuring the safety of life, assist with the evacuation of affected people from isolated communities, support recovery centres, assist with temporary accommodation at bases and move materiel and supplies.”
Defence has also opened bases throughout affected regions from Brisbane to Adelaide to provide temporary accommodation for displaced people…
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- Article: https://www.contactairlandandsea.com/2020/01/05/nz-and-singapore-defence-forces-adding-to-op-bushfire-assist/
- Note from Nighthawk.NZ:
