Personnel at Timaru Airport. Ex Southern Katipo 2013 (SK13) is a combined, joint, inter-agency exercise held over 4–29 November 2013. The overall objective is to evaluate progress towards the NZDF Joint Amphibious Task Force 2015. The aim of SK13 is to exercise force elements of the New Zealand Defence Force in a medium-scale joint exercise, with an emphasis on amphibious operations, within the context of a larger stability and security operation. SK13 will incorporate the command and control, operational planning and execution of a deployed Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force (CJIATF). It will also seek to accentuate the integration and interoperability of maritime, land, air and SOF assets.