Australia participates in multilateral maritime interdiction exercise

Over the period 6–7 November 2017, Royal Australian Navy (RAN) frigates, HMA Ships Parramatta and Melbourne, joined Republic of Korea (ROK) destroyer, ROKS Sejeong The Great, and US destroyer, USS Chafee to participate in a multilateral maritime interdiction exercise off the coast of Jeju, ROK. The exercise included observers from Japan, Singapore, Canada, Germany and Denmark.
 
Commander of the Joint Task Group, Captain Jonathan Earley, RAN, said the frigates had completed their visit to the ROK as part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2017 (IPE17) deployment and participated in the exercise en route to their next regional engagement.
 
“The multilateral maritime interdiction exercise was an opportunity to practically demonstrate the Australian, ROK and US navies’ ability to work together, contribute to regional contingencies, in support of the rules-based global order,” Captain Earley said.
 
“The multilateral exercise was conducted in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2375, concerning the interdiction of vessels carrying suspicious cargo. We shared our processes, practices, and procedures to promote alignment, and a common understanding of our obligations to eliminate the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”.
 
“Australia is deeply concerned about the global threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and its illegal activities. As the Minister for Defence has previously said, Australia calls on all countries to redouble their efforts to implement the unanimously agreed United Nations Security Council resolutions and to press upon North Korea that its current path is unacceptable,” Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston said.
 
IPE17 includes six RAN ships and over 1300 personnel, making it the largest coordinated Australian task group deployed to the region in more than 40 years. The deployment is focused on security cooperation and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training.
 
Media note
Imagery will be available at: https://images.defence.gov.au/s20172758
 
Media contact
Defence Media: (02) 6127 1999, media@defence.gov.au