Exercise Croix du Sud is a military exercise held every two years in New Caledonia, its surrounding waters and airspace. Many countries in the Pacific region take part in these exercises, which usually focus on delivering humanitarian aid, evacuating civilians, and reestablishing security in the wake of a simulated disaster.
Overview
editCroix du Sud is the French term for Southern Cross.[1] It is the largest humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training exercise in the South Pacific.[2] France hosts and organises the exercises through its New Caledonian Armed Forces, headquartered in Noumea.[3]
In alternate years, the concept for the next Croix du Sud is developed through a desktop exercise called Equateur.[4][5] A typical scenario would be a category-four cyclone disaster, resulting in poor sanitation, hunger, disease, and an outbreak of looting and rape which targets foreigners.[1][6] Other scenarios have included extremists disrupting government control and inciting riots.[7]
The Australian Department of Defence says Croix du Sud aims to maintain interoperability among regional defence and police forces. The exercise is also an opportunity to practise maritime surveillance, along with stability and security operations.[2][4] The exercise takes place in accordance with a 1992 agreement between France, Australia and New Zealand.[8]
Participants
editMany countries whose militaries are active in the Pacific Ocean have committed personnel and equipment to the exercise. NGOs have also taken part. Participants in past exercises have included:
- Australia: heavy landing craft HMAS Labuan and HMAS Tarakan,[1] amphibious landing platform HMAS Kanimbla,[7] landing ship HMAS Choules,[9] minehunters HMAS Gascoyne and HMAS Yarra,[9] Sea King helicopters,[7] infantry from the 2nd Royal Australian Regiment,[1] Hercules transport aircraft,[1] and Super King Air utility aircraft.[1]
- Canada: Hercules transport aircraft.[1]
- Chile: observers[3]
- Fiji: observers[3] an infantry platoon, patrol boat RFNS Kula,[10]
- France: patrol ship D'Entrecasteaux.[9]
- New Caledonia: Troupes de marine,[8] vessels and troops of the Maritime Gendarmerie,[citation needed] National Gendarmerie,[citation needed] the frigate Vendémiaire,[8] transport aircraft including CN-235,[8] and local civilians.[1][8]
- French Polynesia[2]
- Japan[2]
- New Zealand: HMNZS Canterbury multi-role/strategic sealift vessel,[1] patrol boat HMNZS Wellington,[9] helicopters, special forces[11] and an infantry platoon from the 1st Battalion of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.[12][13]
- Papua New Guinea[2]
- International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement[8]
- Singapore[3]
- Solomon Islands[9]
- Tonga:[2] patrol boat.[14]
- United Kingdom: Royal Gurkha Rifles[15]
- United States: Marine Rotational Force – Darwin,[16] troops from Hawaii including US Marines[1] and infantry and civil affairs soldiers from the 9th Mission Support Command.[17]
- Vanuatu:[2] patrol boat.[14]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Exercise Croix du Sud 2014 - Home". Department of Defence. Australian Government. 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Media Release: Exercise Croix Du Sud launches into action". Department of Defence. Australian Government. 9 November 2016. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ a b c d "'Croix du Sud' military exercise in New Caledonia Fiji invited as observer". Embassy of France in Fiji. French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ a b "Exercise Croix du Sud 2014 - Frequently Asked Questions". Department of Defence. Australian Government. 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ Overson, David (19 September 2017). "Army, South Pacific partners prepare effective responses to natural disasters". U.S. Army. United States Department of Defense. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ "FANC: Exercice Croix du Sud - Phase d'entraînement et d'intégration à une force multinationale". État-major des armées. Ministère de la Défense, République française. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ a b c "HMNZS Canterbury On Exercise Croix Du Sud". Scoop Independent News. Wellington, New Zealand: Scoop Media. 9 April 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f "FANC : fin de l'exercice Croix du Sud 2014". État-major des armées. Ministère de la Défense, République française. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ "Troops On Joint Military Exercise". Fiji Sun Online. Sun (Fiji) News Limited. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ "The SAS Female Engagement Team" (PDF). Army News. New Zealand Defence Force. July 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ "Nouvelle-Calédonie : ouverture de l'exercice Croix du Sud 2014". État-major des armées. Ministère de la Défense, République française. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ "NZ Defence Force Works Alongside South Pacific Partners on Exercise Croix du Sud". New Zealand Defence Force. New Zealand Government. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ a b "Australia enhances regional defence partnerships". Department of Defence Ministers. Australian Government, Department of Defence. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ Calderwood, Kathleen (6 May 2023). "Australia and France take part in huge military exercise after tense couple of years". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ^ "US and Australian forces train in Darwin". Defence Connect. Momentum Media. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ DeMello, Staff Sgt. Chanelcherie K.; DuVernay, Sgt. Jessica A. (2 December 2016). "9th MSC represents U.S. Army Reserve in Exercise Croix du Sud". Hawaii Army Weekly. United States Army Garrison-Hawaii. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
External links
edit- New Caledonian Armed Forces (French language).
- Exercise Croix du Sud 2016 - Australian Department of Defence footage.
- Exercise Croix du Sud concludes - Royal Australian Air Force, YouTube channel.