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Navy personnel play key role
By FLGOFF Martin Alderette
Volume 50, No. 17, September 20, 2007 |
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WORKING TOGETHER: Chief Petty Officer Stuart Armitage with the Exercise Maritime HQ Commander, Colonel Lai Chung Han, of Singapore.
Photo: SGT Katrina Johnson |
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Australian Navy personnel have played a critical role as part of the Five Powers coalition force that repelled the recent Carranese invasion of Malaysia.
Immediately after the final battle was won the computers were reset, the maps were packed away and the debrief of Exercise Suman Protector 07 (SP07) began.
Sixty-seven Australian Defence Force personnel deployed to Malaysia for Exercise SP07, a multi-national Command Post Exercise (CPX). The aim of the exercise was to provide the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) nations of Australia, UK, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore an opportunity to refine and update operational tactics under the long-standing arrangement.
Signals Specialist Chief Petty Officer Stuart Armitage never lost his sea legs as he kept communication running smoothly for the Exercise Maritime HQ Commander Colonel Lai Chung Han of Singapore.
“It’s been a steep learning curve that has allowed me an insight on the planning of a multi-national exercise,” CPO Armitage said.
“Overall it’s had big effect on me and the experience has been invaluable. The opportunity to work with five different nations overseas has also given me new life experiences and cultural awareness.”
The exercise was held at RMAF Butterworth Air Base in Malaysia between August 20 and September 6, and was used to measure the effects of military operational interplay between non-governmental organisations and other government departments, with a particular focus given to political, legal, and media issues. The FPDA forces accomplished their goal of working together against a common enemy over the three-week CPX. |
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