Exercise Triad 84

[oldgunny]

Feb 25, 2010 7:47:00 GMT 12 aileronroll said:

I think the Mirage tail currently resides in Dr Dave Balwins hangar in Palmerston North, he has some other excellent RNZAF Strike Wing stuff on display in has hangar also, worth a quick visit if your in the area. When Dave was Flt Lt Balwin, Ohakea's Doctor rumour has it he was never available as he spent most of his time in the back of a TA4!

The mirage tail was given back to 14 Sqn last year and resides in the joe room. It was flown from Palmy airport to 14 Sqn by NH90. Not sure on the reason for the return.

[Dave Homewood]

From The Press, 8th of October 1984:

Triad-watching popular

PA Auckland

Thousands of Aucklanders went to Whenuapai Air Base at the week-end to watch jet aircraft of the three A.N.Z.U.S. nations playing war games in the Triad ’84 exercise. An R.N.Z.A.F. spokesman said that traffic built up so much on Saturday that gates to the airfield’s perimeter were opened to allow motorists to park inside. At one stage yesterday more than 5000 people were at the end of the runway. During the week-end “enemy” aircraft based at Ohakea Air Base “attacked” Whenuapai base.

[McFly]

Jun 8, 2023 20:35:13 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

From The Press, 8th of October 1984:

Triad-watching popular

PA Auckland

Thousands of Aucklanders went to Whenuapai Air Base at the week-end to watch jet aircraft of the three A.N.Z.U.S. nations playing war games in the Triad ’84 exercise. An R.N.Z.A.F. spokesman said that traffic built up so much on Saturday that gates to the airfield’s perimeter were opened to allow motorists to park inside. At one stage yesterday more than 5000 people were at the end of the runway. During the week-end “enemy” aircraft based at Ohakea Air Base “attacked” Whenuapai base.

[Dave Homewood]

Awesome Marty!

[11SQNLDR]

I have great memories of Triad 84, along with another ATC Cadet buddy I was picked up by one of our Area Advisors, a RNZAF F/S who flew us over to Flelding in a Cessna Cardinal.
We stayed the night at their place in Bulls and the following morning went to Ohakea to watch a launch - 10 Mirages (1 returned with a fault before take off), 10 A-4K's and around 8 - 10 F-16's.

A group of F-15's joined in not long after having launched from Whenuapai.

Within 30 of so minutes there was the most impressive dogfight above us, some getting down to quite a low altitude with the 'shot down' aircraft returning to land one by one. The poor old Mirages were not much chop against the F-16's!

It was a bloody spectacular sight which I'll never forget!

[11SQNLDR]

'Only fluent Knuck spoken here'

[tbf2504]

during Triad 84 I was running a comcen at Waiouru as part of the RNZAF tactical comms for the ex. We were in the Jameson Hangar, and inside a tent in the hangar to try and beat the cold. The first two Sioux arrived at the pad
for the exercise and the groundie in one of them raced over to the other and looked into the cockpit with a strange look on his face. I asked him what the problem was and he said that he thought the outside air temp gauge was faulty so checked against the other aircraft's one. Nope both correct -5c.
We put in rebro site on a mountain top using a huey and checked that it was operating okay. 20 minutes later on arriving back at Waiouru it failed. Back to the site only to find that snow had fallen and the electrolyte in the battery
had frozen! Back to the drawing board and getting some thermal blankets to put around the power source.

[Dave Homewood]

Here are some of the articles from The Press newspaper about Exercise Triad '84 to give a bit of interesting relevant info from media coverage. This one is from the 15th of June 1984:

From the 31st of August 1984:

Nuclear weapon planes Govt poser?

By

PATRICIA HERBERT in Wellington

The inclusion of nuclear-capable aircraft in the Triad 84 A.N.Z.U.S. exercise, which New Zealand will be host to in October, raises important questions for the Government, according to the Opposition defence spokesman, Mr D. L. Kidd.

He said that the United States air fleet would include fighter-bombers which had a greater nuclear capability than the destroyers the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, insisted would not be allowed in New Zealand’s ports or territorial waters.

It appeared, he said, that Mr Lange’s policy distinguished between New Zealand’s seas and its internal airspace.

The Minister of Defence, Mr O’Flynn, announced details of the exercise yesterday. It will involve land and sea forces from the three alliance partners and will take place from October 1 to 14.

The air phase will be held in the week from October 5 to 9. Aircraft will fly out from Christchurch, Ohakea, Whenuapai, and Waiouru, ranging over a wide area of country. Some of the flying will be at low altitude but, to the greatest extent possible, it will be away from towns and cities.

The United States will deploy eight F15s, 10 F16s, one E3A, and two KC135 tankers, Australia will have 10 Mirages, four F-111s and one Caribou participating. New Zealand will field Skyhawks, Strikemasters, an Orion, and Iroquois and Sioux helicopters.

The land phase, from October 9 to 14, will comprise a command and signals exercise at Waiouru and will involve about 280 soldiers from Australia and the United States with their New Zealand counterparts.

The exercise is the third in a series sponsored by New Zealand. The others were in 1976 and 1981. Mr O’Flynn said Triad 84 would allow the three A.N.Z.U.S. allies to gain experience working together and to test tactical procedures and command and control systems. It was appropriate that New Zealand should be host to the exercise because it was consistent with New Zealand’s commitments in the South Pacific region and its defence and security interests, he said.

From the 10th of September 1984:

Exercises to begin soon



PA Wellington

Nearly 1500 soldiers from New Zealand, Australia, and the United States will take part in wargame exercises as part of the main defence exercise, Triad 84, next month.

The land phase of the exercise will take place in the central North Island, from October 3 to 14, the New Zealand Army has announced.

In the exercises the 4th (A.N.Z.U.S.) Division will be required to conduct a delaying defence operation against a large advancing enemy force. Major “player” headquarters, their commanders and staffs would practise in an operational environment, without the expense of deploying large numbers of troops and vehicles, the Army said.

The land phase has been designed to exercise the allied armies in command and control procedures for defensive operations, at divisional level.


The senior “player” headquarters will be located at Waiouru camp while three subordinate brigade-group headquarters will be deployed into nearby training areas.

From 20th of September 1984:

Triad exercises will close airspace



PA Auckland

Triad, the largest air exercise to be held in New Zealand for nearly 40 years, will affect some civilian air services.

Half the North Island air space above 7000 m will be closed to all aircraft during the exercise from October 5 to 14. Some areas — mainly between Hamilton and Palmerston North — will be closed for shorter periods. The restrictions will not affect domestic jet and Friendship services, but will cause occasional delays or diversions by third-level airlines, mainly in the central North Island.

More than 60 aircraft from the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force and the United States Air Force will take part. It will include supersonic F16 and F15 fighters from America and Mirage fighters and F111 bombers from Australia.

Some, including the F111s, will be flying at high speed close to the ground.

Civil Aviation’s deputy director of ground services, Mr Reg Roberts, said that the high-altitude close-off area would lie east of a line drawn roughly north-south down the central North Island.

“We decided the Air Force could have the whole of this air space because it is not used by jet air services, and Friendship services fly beneath 22,000 ft (7000 m) he said.

Another Civil Aviation officer, Mr Laurie Coker, has just completed a tour with Wing Commander Brian Anderson to brief North Island aircraft users on the extent of restrictions. Mr Roberts said advertisements were being placed and notices to airmen distributed.

“While it is the most extensive closing yet, we don’t expect any problems. It is designed to keep inconvenience to the minimum,” he said.

2 October 1984

Military planes gather



Christchurch Airport has a distinctly military look about it this week, with United States and Australian Air Force aircraft parked on the tarmac in preparation for the Triad 84 military exercise. Four F-111 Royal Australian Air Force jet bombers arrived at Harewood yesterday and they joined a United States Air Force E3A AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) aircraft and a KC135 U.S.A.F. tanker.

One or two more tankers are still expected to arrive in Christchurch. Also at the airport is a U.S.A.F. Starlifter, which is flying in support of the AWACS aircraft.

The visiting aircraft will fly familiarisation flights over the next few days before the exercise begins on Friday. They will then fly sorties north during the day, returning to Christchurch at night. U.S.A.F. F-15s and F-16s may also be seen flying over Christchurch, but no landings are planned. Triad 84 lasts for two weeks. The AWACS visit is the first time one of the aircraft has been seen in New Zealand.

[Dave Homewood]

TOP: A Royal Australian Air Force F111 jet bomber makes its landing approach at Christchurch Airport yesterday. BOTTOM: The crew of one of the F111s, Flying Officer Glen Holtz, left, and Squadron Leader John Ward, on the tarmac. The bombers are among build-up of military aircraft Airport for the air exercise, Triad 84.
PRESS, 2 OCTOBER 1984

[Dave Homewood]

The Press, 4 October 1984:

U.S. fliers go to Noahs

Sixty-one United States servicemen visiting Christchurch for the Triad 84 military exercise have left their accommodation at the Wigram R.N.Z.A.F. base in favour of Noahs Hotel because of the cold and fears for their health.

A New Zealand Ministry of Defence spokesman, Flight Lieutenant A. D. Haggitt, said that 88 United States servicemen arrived in Christchurch last Sunday and Monday and were allocated transit barrack accommodation at Wigram. Their accommodation had earlier been declared suitable during a planning visit for the exercise.

Flight Lieutenant Haggitt said that there was minimal heating in the barracks, which were due for refurbishing next year. The electrical wiring in the barracks could not stand the load of portable appliances and only the fitted heaters could be used. It had been decided almost immediately that some of the Americans would have to be moved to warmer accommodation, Flight Lieutenant Haggitt said, and Noahs was chosen because it was one of the few places that could accommodate the 61 servicemen.

He said that minimum numbers of crew had been brought to Christchurch for the exercise and the risk of any being off duty sick with head colds had to be avoided.

Flight Lieutenant Haggitt said that head colds were a “real menace” to air crew and prevented them from flying.

The Americans had come from temperatures of 26deg. and 27deg. and the 6deg. that greeted them on arrival in Christchurch would have been a “pretty unpleasant experience,’’

Flight Lieutenant Haggitt said, “It was not considered we would have 6deg. ambient, temperature at this time of the year,” Flight Lieutenant Haggitt said of the exercise planning.

“We were sorry it had to happen. The commander made the decision for health reasons and he was very sorry to be moving out,” he said. “It is one of those unfortunate things.”

A spokesman for Noahs Hotel said last evening that the servicemen were booked into 30 twin rooms at the hotel. The rate for the twin room, without meals, is $99 a night. The bill for the total stay will be about $30,000. The servicemen moved into the rooms on Monday and the spokesman said they were booked in for 11 nights. The party included three servicewomen. Some of the group will have to move out of Noahs and into the Clarendon Hotel on Sunday night because of heavy bookings at Noahs. Flight Lieutenant Haggitt said there was no question that the New Zealand authorities would have to pay.

[Dave Homewood]

PRESS, 5 OCTOBER 1984

Big Brother is watching...

The term “eye in the sky” has taken on a new meaning in Christchurch this week, with the visit of a United States Air Force AWACS aircraft. The AWACS (airborne warning and control system) aircraft is the first of its kind to visit New Zealand and has attracted plenty of attention at its Harewood park. The aircraft is here for the Triad 84 military exercise and is based in Christchurch because of the number of other aircraft already using Auckland airfields for the exercise.

The visitor is from the 961st Airborne Warning and Control Squadron, based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, under the command of Colonel B. J. Gold. The aircraft is a modified Boeing 707-320B commercial airframe, but there all similarities end. The most striking aspect of the AWACS is the big, rotating radar dome on top which houses the Westinghouse radar. The dome is 9.14 m in diameter, 1.83 m thick, and mounted 3.35 m above the fuselage. It weighs seven tonnes. Pratt and Whitney TF-33 turbofan engines complete the transformation.

The radar surveillance platform is one of only 34 flown by the U.S.A.F. They first entered service in 1977. Now, five are based in Saudi Arabia (until the Saudis get their own aircraft), two are based at Keflavik Naval Station in Iceland, three at Kadena, and there is always one at the factory.

The aircraft carry a flight crew of four and a mission crew of 13 with a further three mission crew carried as extras. The radar is limited to the Earth’s horizon and has a range of 200 nautical miles fbr detecting low-fly-ing fighter aircraft from a working height of 30,000 ft. High-altitude, bomber-size target aircraft can be detected at 350 nautical miles.

The normal working height of the AWACS is between 29,000 ft and 31,000 ft.

Although capable of remarkable detection, the AWACS is a rather large target itself. Colonel Gold said this was not too much of a problem because the AWACS would normally be working from its own country or territory. “There would be a lot of people round to protect you,” he said.

Protection allocated specifically to the AWACS aircraft would depend on a decision made by the commander, he said.

“The only way the aircraft can protect itself is to hide,” he said.

The aircraft can carry up to 35 people. It is also equipped with six crew bunks for sleeping on long missions. Unrefuelled, the aircraft can fly for 11 hours; with air refuelling it has a 22-hour limit of oil endurance.

The normal Boeing 707 carries two generators, one on each inboard engine. The AWACS systems place a much larger demand for running equipment and cooling air, so it has eight generators, two on each engine.

The AWACS will be orbiting New Zealand until the air phase of Triad 84 ends on Tuesday. After a day of crew rest, the aircraft and crew will return to Japan.

[Dave Homewood]

A United States Air Force Eagle fighter is refuelled in flight from a KC13S tanker aircraft 6800 metres above Lake Rotorua yesterday. The aircraft were taking part in the Triad 84 military exercise which began yesterday. The exercise will end on October 9. Picture by Sergeant Athol Corbett, R.N.Z.A.F.
PRESS, 6 OCTOBER 1984

[Dave Homewood]

PRESS, 10 OCTOBER 1984

$1600 to fund

Officers of the United States and Australian forces based in Christchurch for the Triad exercise gave a cheque for $1600 last evening for the Christchurch Brevet Club’s Spitfire Restoration Fund. The cheque was presented during a farewell function at Wigram R.N.Z.A.F. base. The Brevet Club has launched an appeal to raise $30,000 to build a new replica Spitfire aircraft to replace the one damaged by fire last week-end.

[Dave Homewood]

PRESS, 10 OCTOBER 1984

Triad ends in air

PA Auckland
The aerial phase of the A.N.Z.U.S. defence exercise, Triad, ended yesterday. The eight United States F15 Eagle fighter aircraft will stay at Whenuapai R.N.Z.A.F. base until Friday, when they will return to their base in Japan.

Land-based exercises will continue at Waiouru until Sunday.

[11SQNLDR]

I also recall a headline in the local Hastings newspaper when an F-15 exceeded mach one and broke some farmhouse windows in the central North Island!

[Dave Homewood]

My cousin was a hang glider pilot and I recall my Nana saying he'd told my aunty that during Triad 84 he was flying along, heard a noise and looked down to see two F-15s pass just underneath him!

[machina]

This is one of the coolest threads I’ve seen on here. So awesome to see back to a time when we knew who our friends were and before we became dicks to them.

Also awesome to see and read about things like tanker tracks in NZ!

[chasper]

During the exercise Casper Weinberger, the US SecDef, came into Ohakea and went to Waiouru by Iroquois for a few hours and was taken out to the TOC (Tactical Operations Centre) a few k's north of the camp. For the boys in green it was quite an exercise given the large number of Aussie and US soldiers involved in the operational management side of things.

[obiwan27]

Jun 13, 2023 12:09:34 GMT 12 machina said:

This is one of the coolest threads I’ve seen on here. So awesome to see back to a time when we knew who our friends were and before we became dicks to them.

Also awesome to see and read about things like tanker tracks in NZ!

Remember the time well. Marred by the torching of the Spitfire replica outside the Brevet club, great PR by visiting military personnel to do a fundraiser towards it's replacement.
Highlight for me as a 20 year old then, while waiting to catch the bus home in Cathedral Square, was 2 x RAAF F111s flying right over the city in formation.

Absolutely exhilarating.

Reality sunk home after realizing that it was probably the last time we'd ever see that sort of exercise with that sort of hardware again.

However the visit by the 2 F16s from the F16 Demo Team for WOW 2018 captured a little of the magic as a one off, that's for sure. :-)

EDIT : There's some content I posted back in the original thread on Page 2.

[campbellbox]

My Mum, who lived near Whenuapai, took me out of school one Friday during the exercise. Her photography was not quite up to McFly’s standards but it’s a nice little reminder of a formative aviation experience.  
A8DB9981-951E-48AF-94F1-513DE66A353D by Campbell McGill, on Flickr