Top End Exercises come to a close

Participants and observers from seventeen nations headed home as Exercises Kakadu 2012 and Singaroo 2012 wrapped up in the Northern Territory.

Fifteen ships, multiple aircraft and around 2000 personnel spent the past three weeks engaging in multilateral training in the North Australian Exercise Area off the coast of Darwin.

During Exercise Kakadu 2012, fleet assets from Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand focussed on aspects of maritime warfare common to all the forces involved.  Over the 17 days of exercising, from 29 August to 14 September, graduated training activities and weapons practices were conducted, including warfare and maritime security exercises and evolutions.

“Exercise Kakadu is Australia’s leading international Naval exercise and allows us to develop skills in coalition with our neighbours for future joint operations,” Exercise Director Captain Heath Robertson said.

The Royal Australian Navy was represented by the Adelaide Class Frigate HMAS Darwin, the ANZAC Class Frigates HMA Ships Perth and Warramunga, two Mine Hunter Coastal HMA Ships Gascoyne and Huon, the Replenishment Vessel HMAS Sirius, and Collins Class Submarine HMAS Dechaineux.  Royal Australian Air Force Maritime Patrol Aircraft and Strike Fighter Aircraft also took part.

“The feedback we received at the end of Exercise Kakadu 2012 from our overseas guests was resoundingly positive with many looking forward to the next opportunity to return and train together again,” Captain Robertson said.

“Conveniently, we were able to flow straight from Exercise Kakadu into Exercise Singaroo while our Singaporean allies were still here to continue bilateral training with them.”

HMA Ships Warramunga and Dechaineux returned to sea with Royal Singaporean Ships Stalwart and Valiant for several more days of joint training while Air Force assets from both nations operated from RAAF Darwin and RAAF Tindal in support of Exercise Singaroo’s program.

Media note:
Images of Exercise Kakadu can be found at http://www.navy.gov.au/Exercise_KAKADU_2012
 
Opportunities to interview Exercise Director Captain Heath Robertson on the close of Exercises Kakadu 2012 and Singaroo 2012 are available on request.

Media contact:
Defence Communication and Media - Kelly Cooper: (08) 8923 5741 or 0411 885 994
Defence Media Operations: (02) 6127 1999