More than 70 United States military members will join New Zealand Army personnel in a defence exercise in the central North Island this month.
Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman announced today that the New Zealand Defence Force would host 35 US Marines and 41 US Army personnel for the exercise, titled Alam Halfa, to be held in Linton and Napier between April 26 and May 6.
The US personnel will exercise with members of the New Zealand Army's 1st Brigade.
"This cooperation builds on a pattern of exercises involving New Zealand and US personnel since the signing of the Wellington Declaration in November 2010," Dr Coleman said.
The US banned joint military training after the ANZUS alliance collapsed in 1984. The ban was lifted in 2009.
