Australia’s
largest international maritime exercise, Exercise KAKADU 2016, was officially
launched in Darwin yesterday by the Commander Australian Fleet, Rear
Admiral Stuart Mayer. Exercise KAKADU will see nations from around the
Asia-Pacific region enhance interoperability, share knowledge and develop
skills in responding to threats in the maritime and air domains with
a multinational force. |
Commander
Australian Fleet welcomed participating nations and outlined his vision
for the Exercise.
“I extend a warm welcome to all nations joining Exercise KAKADU.
This exercise is important for forging relationships that build the
trust on which we depend in times of crisis and in peace,” Rear
Admiral Mayer said.
“Australia’s regional partners have come to the crucial
city of Darwin and our seas to the north to develop expertise and mastery
in maritime operations. KAKADU provides an opportunity to collaborate
so that our combined forces can immediately respond at times that require
the support of all nations.”
Ships, submarines and aircraft from Australia, Canada, France, Indonesia,
Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and the United
States, with observers from Fiji, India, New Zealand, Philippines, Republic
of Korea, Thailand, Timor Leste, Tonga and Vietnam have descended on
Darwin to practise activities ranging from constabulary and surveillance
scenarios to high-end maritime warfare in a combined environment.
Australia’s Commander Warfare, Commodore Malcolm Wise, said Exercise
KAKADU is a chance to learn new skills and assesses the readiness of
a multinational force.
“Exercise KAKADU provides training opportunities across the full
spectrum of warfare. We are many nations speaking many languages and
KAKADU ensures interoperability to deliver a professional, safe, communicative
and integrated force,” Commodore Wise said.
Exercise KAKADU runs 12 to 23 September and includes a harbour phase
for planning and simulation, before moving into a sea phase where the
ships and aircraft will divide into several multi-national task groups
to exercise various scenarios, culminating in a task group versus task
group “free play”. |
Japanese and Canadian surface combatants. Picture: Australian Department
of Defence