Media Room: Media Releases

Maritime Commander Australia, Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas AM CSC RAN officially opened Exercise Kakadu in Darwin today. More than 1700 Defence personnel from six nations are participating in the multi-national maritime Exercise Kakadu 7 held in northern Australia from 26 July until 12 August 2005. This is the seventh exercise in a series of multi-national exercises and brings together Defence personnel from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

Visiting forces include Indonesian frigate KRI Fatahillah, Malaysian frigate KD Jebat, Papuan New Guinean patrol boats HMPNGS Tarangau and HMPNGS Dreger and the Singaporean corvettes RSS Valiant and RSS Valour, a Singapore Air Force F-50 and a Royal New Zealand Air Force P3K Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Observers from the navies of India, France, the Republic of Korea and Thailand will also visit during the exercise.

"Exercise Kakadu provides valuable training for the Australian Defence Force as we continue to further goodwill and mutual understanding with regional defence forces," Rear Admiral Thomas said. "These exercises are vital in ensuring we can effectively and efficiently work with other regional forces."

Australia’s commitment to Exercise Kakadu includes units from the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force. Participating RAN units include: HMAS Adelaide, HMAS Ballarat, HMAS Kanimbla, HMAS Westralia, HMAS Warrnambool, submarine HMAS Farncomb, and three Navy Sea Hawk helicopters. The significant air component for Kakadu includes up to 600 Air Force personnel and up to six F-111 aircraft, turning RAAF Base Scherger near Weipa in Northern Queensland from a bare base into a fully functional military airfield. Up to eight RAAF F/A-18 fighter aircraft will operate from RAAF Base Tindal and up to 10 RAAF Hawk aircraft, and a RAAF AP-3C Orion will operate from RAAF Base Darwin.

Support will also be provided by three Pel-Air aircraft, one Raytheon aircraft, Air Target Services, Defence Maritime Services, HMAS Coonawarra and operations staff from the Royal Australian Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy and Royal Australian Air Force.