New Zealand Defence Force Facts for Kids

New Zealand Defence Force logo

The New Zealand Defence Force (or NZDF) is the official military of New Zealand. It helps keep the country safe and takes part in peacekeeping missions around the world. The NZDF is made up of three main parts: the New Zealand Army, the Royal New Zealand Navy, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The person in charge of the entire NZDF is called the Chief of Defence Force (CDF).

The NZDF's Story: A Brief History
Who Leads the NZDF?
Images for kids
See also

The NZDF's Story: A Brief History

The military in New Zealand has a long history. In the 1800s, the British army was the main military force in New Zealand.

Early Beginnings (1840s-1860s)

Around the 1840s, people living in New Zealand started forming their own local groups called militia units to help with defense. Later, in 1858, New Zealand began to create small, regular army units. By the 1860s, a small group of ships was also formed for naval duties.

Becoming Separate Forces (1941)

Over time, the army, navy, and air force grew and became separate parts of New Zealand's defense. By 1941, they were officially recognized as individual services.

Forming the NZDF (1990)

In 1990, a new law called the Defense Act brought these separate services together. This law created the New Zealand Defence Force as we know it today, combining the army, navy, and air force under one command.

Who Leads the NZDF?

The New Zealand Defence Force is led by the Chief of Defence Force (CDF). This person is the highest-ranking military officer in New Zealand. They are responsible for leading all three branches of the NZDF and making sure they work together effectively.

Images for kids

Lt. Richard Alexander "Dick" Henderson, New Zealand Medical Corps, carrying a wounded soldier on a donkey during the Battle of Gallipoli.
New Zealand troops land on Guadalcanal in the Solomons during World War II.
HMNZS Te Kaha sailing in Cook Strait with other Royal New Zealand Navy ships.
Two soldiers from the Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles during an exercise in 2010.
A New Zealand Army NZLAV (Light Armoured Vehicle) at Tekapo Military Camp.
An RNZAF Boeing 757, two Lockheed P3K Orions, and a Lockheed C130H Hercules flying together in formation.
New Zealand and Australian military personnel boarding a United States Navy helicopter during a humanitarian aid mission to the Solomon Islands in 2007.
Two members of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan during 2009.
HMNZS Te Kaha and HMNZS Endeavour with the South Korean destroyer ROKS Choe Yeong at RIMPAC 2012.