Prime Minister John Key has done so many u-turns this week he is in danger of coming to the attention of his boyracer-car-crushing minister Judith Collins.

US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has thanked the New Zealand Government for agreeing to extend its deployment to Iraq

COMMENT: For those who travelled to Taji with PM, his decision to extend the deployment of 120 troops to train Iraqi forces had a sense of inevitability.

Labour leader Andrew Little says he will withdraw New Zealand troops from Iraq if his party is elected to power next year.

The non-combat deployment in the battle against the Islamic State had been set to finish early next year, but would now last until November 2018.

Prime Minister John Key says he remains confident New Zealand troops based at Taji are as safe as they can be despite a car bomb outside the military compound yesterday.

An explosion has occurred within two to three kilometres of Camp Taji in northern Baghdad where 106 NZ Defence Force personnel are currently deployed.

Explosions rang out as the New Zealand Defence Force's new $46 million battle training facility was opened in Auckland this morning.

The Defence Force chose a rifle made by US manufacturer Lewis Machine and Tools (LMT) out of eight possible contenders.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has launched a high-level review of New Zealand troops' role in the fight against Isis.

New Zealand's top military science secrets are attracting million-dollar investments from allied defence forces.

16 years after her last visit, former spokesperson for the Auckland East Timor Independence Committee Marie Leadbeater finds it a study in contrasts.

The government is taxing the salaries of Kiwi troops deployed to Taji to help train Iraqi soldiers.

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior off Marsden Wharf. We take a look back.

The United State's top Pacific military commander is in New Zealand on his first visit in the role and will hold talks with the Prime Minister and Chief of Defence Force.

New Zealand Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee was unaware the Singapore hotel he was inside for an Asia-Pacific security summit was put in lockdown.

Air forces across Europe grounded the military aircraft after one crashed near Seville, Spain, killing four people.

The New Zealand hero of Gallipoli James Waddell stood less than 5ft 3 but heroes don’t come much bigger.

Having military deaths only investigated in-house raises suspicions that this is a convenient way of closing down investigation and criticism - Labour.

Labour has attacked the degree of secrecy about the preparation of a New Zealand troop deployment to Iraq.

Labour has attacked the degree of secrecy about the preparation of a New Zealand troop deployment to Iraq.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has clipped the wings of a fledgling regional airline before it can get off the ground.

NZ soldiers training Iraqi troops near Baghdad will not be taking a "them-and-us" view of the Iraqis but a partnership approach.