18 February 2026

• Latest updates

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  Regional presence deployments strengthen regional ties

  Wednesday, 18 February 2026 - 15:30 PM

  Our regional presence deployments continue to demonstrate our commitment to maintaining a near-continuous maritime presence within the Indo-Pacific, allowing us to engage with our neighbours and partners on collective security.

  In the west, HMAS Warramunga has sailed across to Visakhapatnam on the east coast of India for an International Fleet Review and multilateral training for Exercise Milan.

  India and Australia are top-tier defence and security partners, and under our National Defence Strategy we are prioritising increasing the depth and complexity of our defence cooperation with India. 

  One Warramunga sailor excited for the engagement ahead is Seaman Puneet Bandaru, who was born in Hyderabad and has extended family in Visakhapatnam.

  You can read about Seaman Bandaru here.

  Meanwhile, HMAS Toowoomba has completed a number of tasks and engagements in the South China Sea, the West Philippine Sea and Subic Bay in the Philippines.

  The ship conducted a transit of the South China Sea in the vicinity of the Spratly Islands. Details of this transit are available here, and imagery here.

  At Subic Bay, Toowoomba hosted a visit from civilian journalists from Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

  The visit allowed Australia to build trust and understanding with our regional neighbours and partners, communicating the importance of working together for the collective security of the Indo-Pacific. Imagery of their visit is available here. 
  
  Toowoomba’s visit to Subic Bay proved a special moment for Able Seaman Elijah Simangan, whose family connection to the Philippines’ military history informs his own service to the Royal Australian Navy today. Read about Able Seaman Simangan’s story here.

  Following the visit to Subic Bay, Toowoomba participated in a multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) with the Philippines and United States.

  Information about this recent MCA is available here, and imagery is available here. 
  
  MCAs are an opportunity to build working-level understanding between sailors and service members in maritime operations. For the Philippines and other participating nations, including Australia, they are an important demonstration of the importance of upholding international law, freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

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  Jakarta visit for HMAS Toowoomba

  Tuesday, 10 February 2026 - 09:00 AM

  HMAS Toowoomba sailed into Jakarta in early February, allowing the crew to conduct exchanges and engagements with the Indonesian Navy.

  Read about the ship’s arrival into Jakarta here. Imagery and video of the visit to Jakarta is available here. 

  For Able Seaman Lameul Setiono, the visit to Jakarta allowed his family in Indonesia to see him in Royal Australian Navy service for the first time. 

  You can read about Able Seaman Setiono’s story here.

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  Navy embarks on 2026 regional presence deployments

  Tuesday, 3 February 2026 - 15:30 PM

  A pair of Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigates have departed Fleet Base West on the first regional presence deployments for 2026 and are sailing to conduct exercises and engagements in South Asia, South-East Asia and East Asia.

  HMAS Warramunga will participate in exercises and exchanges with Thailand and India, while HMAS Toowoomba will conduct bilateral and multilateral activities in the South China Sea and East Asia, including maritime cooperative activities hosted by the Philippine Navy.

  You can read the media release for this deployment here. 

  These deployments support the Australian Defence Force’s decades-long practice of engaging with regional allies and partners, building trust and understanding and allowing Australia to uphold the collective security of the Indo‑Pacific.