29 July 2025
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Security Forces Patrol Dog Unit has brought extra bite power to RAAF Base Townsville, which has seen more than 350 air movements since the start of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025.
Personnel from the RAAF 27 Squadron Security Flight and their military working dogs have been patrolling around the clock to ensure the safety of personnel and capabilities.
RNZAF military working dog handler Aircraftman Dylan McClintock and his six-year-old Belgian Malinois, Keno, flew across the Tasman to support 27 Squadron for the exercise.
The trip was not without its challenges, including a strict acclimatisation program for Keno to combat an unlikely enemy, the Australian heat.
“Keno has had very little exposure to heat and isn’t used to it at all,” Aircraftman McClintock said.
“He generally works in a much colder climate so I’ve had to make sure to mitigate any potential heat stress.
“I’m also on high-alert for the other risks faced in Australia that aren’t even a consideration back home; things like ticks and snakes that can be a deadly and unexpected adversary.
“The night patrols in particular have been a great challenge for Keno because it is giving him new exposure to different buildings and surfaces and keeping him sharp.”
'We share a lot of ideas, give different perspectives and bounce of each other’s experience.'
Aircraftman McClintock has worked with Corporal Renee Cahill from 27 Squadron previously, during Exercise Pitch Black in 2024.
But this is the first time the RNZAF Security Forces Patrol Dog Unit embedded into the squadron’s Security Flight.
Corporal Cahill said the ongoing ability to work with each other meant the relationship was highly beneficial, with both nations able to sink their teeth into learning from each other.
“We share a lot of ideas, give different perspectives and bounce of each other’s experience,” she said.
“It’s another set of eyes, everyone is going to have different experiences with each dog as they have different personalities, just like with humans.
“We’ve been working together closely during Talisman Sabre, conducting detection and deterrence patrols around the airfield and aircraft to ensure that RAAF Base Townsville is secure.
“Due to the high level of activity on base during the exercise, it is important we have a stronger presence on base to deter any potential adversaries.”
More than 40,000 military personnel from 19 nations are participating in Talisman Sabre, which runs from July 13 to August 4, 2025.
