Exercise Keris Woomera: Australia launches first ever bilateral amphibious exercise with Indonesian National Armed Forces
Aussie tanks, trucks, choppers and soldiers will soon be rolling out on Indonesian soil as part of the first ever bilateral live fire training exercise with our nearest neighbours.
Northern Territory
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Australia’s largest military ship is “loaded to the gunwales” with tanks, trucks, choppers and soldiers ahead of a historic training exercise with the Indonesian National Armed Forces.
The HMAS Adelaide was expected to deploy from Darwin on Sunday ahead of Exercise Keris Woomera, the first ever bilateral amphibious activity exercise with Indonesia forces in the two nation’s history.
Standing on the navy ship on Sunday, Commander Amphibious Task Force Captain Christopher Doherty said around 2000 defence members were expected to take part in the operation “to test our combined interoperability with Indonesia”.
Captain Doherty said the militaries of the two allied nations would be put to the test, with landing operations, evacuation drills, humanitarian and disaster response exercises and the first live fire exercise by Australians on Indonesia soil in 50 years.
The man who will coordinate the mock charge from the ships to the shore, Commander of the Land Forces Colonel Judd Finger, said the exercise would show off Australia’s “world class capabilities”.
Colonel Finger said the joint exercise would include for the first time a simulated wartime environment using live ammunition and explosives on Indonesian soil, rolling out battle tanks, attack aviation, close air support, artillery and infantry troops.
“It’s going to be incredibly large live fire (exercise),” he said.
“This is the hardest it gets … it’s a true indication of where we currently sit with our relationship with TNI (Tentara Nasional Indonesia)”.
TNI Head of Delegation Lieutenant Colonel Empri Airudin said the exercise would “enhance our relationship” between the two neighbours, while providing security for the region.
More than 1170 Australian Defence Force members and 35 of their Indonesian counterparts are expected to spend the next few days on the HMAS Adelaide, after it leaves Darwin’s Larrakeyah Defence Precinct.
Commanding Officer Captain Troy Duggan bragged the HMAS Adelaide was the largest ship in the navy — by just 1m — measuring 230m long, 32m wide and weighing around 27,000 tonnes.
“At the moment the ship is loaded to the gunwales,” Captain Duggan said.
“We’ve got trucks, tanks, artillery pieces, down in the heavy vehicle decks … and underneath us is the light vehicle deck which has even more protected mobility vehicles as well as the remainder of the helicopters.”
The sweeping operation comes two months after Defence Minister Richard Marles and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto signed the Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Agreement in August.
SEE INSIDE HMAS ADELAIDE
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