Predators Run 2023: 750 troops land in Northern Territory
Soldiers from Philippines, Indonesia, Timor-Leste and the US have arrived in Darwin to participate in a military exercise run by the Australian Defence.
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Troops from four different countries have begun arriving in Darwin as of Wednesday night for the Territory’s largest Australian-led military exercise, dubbed the ‘Predators Run’.
The exercise involves around 2500 soldiers and will take place in Darwin Harbour and around the Tiwi Islands.
The number includes roughly 500 US marines, 120 soldiers from the Philippines Armed Forces, 120 from the Indonesian Defence Force and about 50 from the Timor-Leste Defence Force.
“Predators Run is going to be a very important exercise for us,” Brigadier Nick Foxall said.
“We’re moving from a land-based organisation to a maritime-based organisation.
“It is very new to a lot of our soldiers.
“As a result, we’ll be moving into that environment, operating around the Tiwi Islands and in Darwin Harbour.”
US Marines Commanding Officer Colonel Brendan Sullivan agreed that due to the revised strategies for both the US Defence and the Australian Army, the Northern Territory was an ideal training ground.
“The thing that makes littoral operations so challenging is that it occurs in the air, on the land and in the sea at the same time.
And that’s what operating here in the NT and the Tiwi Islands offers us,” Colonel Sullivan said.
Darwin residents can expect to notice the buzz over the duration of the 12-day exercise.
“Residents will see a lot of movement of vehicles and equipment around the harbour area and through town, but also a lot of maritime traffic, mainly small boats and some contracted vessels,” Colonel Sullivan said.
Colonel Sullivan commended the Australian Defence Force for its role as host for this important military exercise.
He applauded the Australian “capacity for nicknames” and said the American troops “always try to keep up with the slang” of their Australian counterparts.
“We stopped in Katherine for dinner. I was looking at the menu and they were offering Chicken Schnitty.
“It took me a while to figure out what they were talking about,” he said.
The exercise is expected to wrap up on September 7.
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