Kakadu six begins

By LEUT Emily Curtis

Nearly 2000 sailors and airmen from five nations are gearing up in northern Australia for Kakadu Six, an important regional defence exercise.

Defence assets from Australia, New Zealand, France, Singapore and Papua New Guinea will take part in the exercise, which is scheduled to run between July 21 and August 1.

The Maritime Commander, RADM Raydon Gates will open the exercise at an official ceremony in Darwin on July 21.
During the exercise “orange” and “blue” forces will oppose each other in anti-air, anti-surface and anti submarine warfare scenarios.

Vital in testing the surface ships and their ASW capabilities in the waters immediately north of Australia will be Australia’s submarine HMAS Waller.

Also taking part from the RAN will be HMA Ships Warramunga, Arunta, Canberra, Westralia, Success, Whyalla and Gawler.
Warramunga will be the Task Group Commander’s command platform.

The RAAF’s No 79 Squadron will dispatch between four and six Hawk lead-in fighters while No 92 Wing will provide two P-3C Orion patrol aircraft.

The RAAF’s 114 MCRU will also take part.

Coming from New Zealand will be more Orions.

The Singapore Navy will send the corvettes RS Ships Victory and Vengeance, PNG will provide the Pacific patrol boats HMPNG Ships Tarangau and Basilisk and the French frigate Floreal will deploy from ALPACI in Noumea along with her Panther anti-submarine helicopter.

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