For the first time in five years, a US Navy vessel has docked in New Zealand waters.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Howard is in Wellington to take part in exercises and engagements with our Defence Force (NZDF).
Click link for the news article and video.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/11/missiles-rockets-and-torpedoes-a-look-onboard-uss-howard-the-us-navy-ship-docked-in-wellington.html
It was a warm but windy Wellington welcome for the vessel on Friday.
"The Wellington wind - I am fascinated by that," said commanding officer Travis Montplaisir. "We received a brief from the colonel this morning telling us it's the windiest city in the world."
https://twitter.com/NZNavy/status/1464014260640444447
The US warship is in our waters to conduct exercises with the NZDF.
"We share ideas, we talk about the co-operation and the bonds that make us stronger - and that togetherness allows us to build the relationship we need for future events," Montplaisir explained.
https://twitter.com/usembassynz/status/1463984719603777560
The ship has made its way here from Japan. All crew are double-vaccinated and required a negative COVID-19 test before disembarking.
That was something the NZDF helped out with.
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"A NZ C130 flew out and airdropped the PCR tests to us. There were four bags, I think 360 tests," said Montplaisir.
Some of the ship's weapons include surface to air missiles, anti-submarine rockets, torpedoes and a five-inch rapid fire deck gun.
https://twitter.com/NZDefenceForce/status/1464013675220533249
It also stores two helicopters.
"They're helicopters that we use for surface search, as well as primarily anti-submarine warfare," Montplaisir said.
The visit is being labelled a win for the relationship between the two countries - which was tested in the 1980s by New Zealand's anti-nuclear stance.
The USS Howard is only the second US warship to enter our waters since then.
"The Ardern government will look upon this as a welcome opportunity to engage in this muli-lateral cooperation, or bilateral in naval terms, but with the possibility of expanding co-operation in the future," said Otago University Professor Robert Patman.
Montplaisir says the relationship between the US and New Zealand is "rock-solid, and it always has been".
But their relationship with the Wellington wind appears to be still up in the air.
