ADF Darwin: Exercise Predators Run finished, littoral brigade to ‘reflect’ on lessons

Darwin’s Diggers started their public holiday a few hours late, after obliterating a rocky hillside as part of Exercise Predators Run 2024. Find out what international engagements await the Territory’s soldiers in the coming months. WATCH THE VID.

Cold beers and BBQs awaited thirsty Darwin’s Diggers and Marines, who completed the final day of Exercise Predators Run – ending in an epic live-fire activity involving Aussies, US Marines and British commandos.

As Territorians enjoyed their Picnic Day, thousands of soldiers woke up and gritted their teeth for one final mission after having endured weeks in the Mount Bundey scrub.

From 4am onward, Diggers ate the last of their rations and Marines chewed the last of their tobacco before troops moved into their respective positions, locked and loaded.

From a distance, American armoured vehicles edged their weapon systems above the ridge line, with gunners from around 10km away lined up their 55kg rounds.

Scenes from the culminating activity of Exercise Predators Run 2024.

At 7am, ‘H-Hour’ commenced, with the effects of artillery, 25mm cannons and machine guns ripping into the faceless enemy, turning the target area into a thick haze within minutes.

After more than 30 minutes of sustained fire, engineers and infantry moved forward to clear the obstacles and opposition in their path.

Combat Team Charlie commander Major Josh Rousseau said the culminating activity was the “premier event” of the rigorous exercise.

“We step through a number of gates before we get up to this level, from individual training to small teams and larger teams at the company level,” he said.

“That’s what we essentially do to prepare our soldiers for this, which is ultimately preparing us for combat.”

Members from Brigade Headquarters observe the clearance from a high feature. Picture: Harry Brill.

Major Rousseau said the multinational exercise had been well executed despite differences in terminology and tactics.

“Friction is an enduring characteristic of warfare, it’s always going to be there,” he said.

“The purpose of this activity is to work through those friction points in a controlled environment with our UK and US partners - we’ve been doing this now for 13 years.”

In his eight years of working with the US Marines, Major Rousseau said he was confident that Australian soldiers and their American counterparts had developed a strong connection in the field.

“To see the progression of us working with the US Marine Corps has been phenomenal.”

A US light armoured vehicle joins the battle. Picture: Supplied.

For a large number of the exercise participants, waterways and creeks were navigated by soldiers in a bid to transition towards 1st Brigade’s new littoral role.

Covering more than 10,000 square kilometres of bush and beach, Brigadier Doug Pashley said the Top End offered troops an exceptionally challenging training environment.

“It is hard soldiering up here – there is tough and then there is NT tough and our people recognise that and they thrive in that environment and they welcome that challenge.”

Brigadier Doug Pashley with British commander Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Denning. Picture: Supplied.

Brigadier Pashley said his brigade would take time to “reflect” on the lessons learnt from the exercise before moving onto regional activities.

“We have forces getting ready to go over to Indonesia, forces getting ready to go over and partner with the Philippines, so it’s a busy back end of the year,” he said.

“Often people think that after these big exercises that things are going to wind down - that is not the case for the members of 1st Brigade, they’re happy to busy and they’re happy to be doing operationally-focused tasks.”

Originally published as ADF Darwin: Exercise Predators Run finished, littoral brigade to ‘reflect’ on lessons