"The CEH Project is to enable an expeditionary bomb disposal capability for both army and navy," Lieutenant Colonel Adam Modd from the NZDF Capability Branch said.

"Our personnel are required to go into harm’s way to protect people and property, and in doing so we’re trying to give them the best protection we can for them to achieve their mission. Working with a prime vendor such as EPE has allowed us to buy the right equipment in a timely manner and get it into service to meet the project timelines."

EPE Australia has supported the NZDF for over a decade, however this project allowed the company to establish infrastructure in NZ with a local company and office with a through-life support workshop in Wellington, close to Trentham Military Base.

"The Ministry of Defence Project Team working with EPE as a prime vendor industry partner was able to deliver a capability that is scalable, interoperable, compatible with in-service equipment, with contemporary cutting-edge technology, while heading off obsolescence all within a rapid procurement," said EPE New Zealand business development manager Andy Cross.

"EPE was nominated because of their professionalism, they’ve gone the extra mile to be able to provide us with the information that we required," added CEH Project manager from the Ministry of Defence Paula Brasovan.