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Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft have conducted surveillance missions from the north-west coast of Malaysia under Operation Gateway.
During the three-week deployment, two aircraft conducted the missions in the North Indian Ocean and South China Sea from Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth.
The missions are conducted under Australia’s commitment to regional security and stability. Operation Gateway involves personnel from RAAF No. 92 Wing deploying from RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia to RMAF Base Butterworth in Malaysia.
Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones AO CSC RAN said the missions provided maritime domain awareness of the North Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
“For over 40 years, Operation Gateway has been one of the main elements of the long-standing Malaysia-Australia Joint Defence Program,” VADM Jones said.
“The Indian Ocean is now the globe’s busiest and most strategically significant shipping corridor, with more than half of the world’s shipping container traffic and two thirds of oil shipments transiting the region.
“The successful completion of this rotation reflects the ADF’s ongoing commitment to working alongside our regional partners to ensure a stable, secure and rules-based Indo-Pacific.”
The latest deployment included engagement between RAAF and counterparts from the Malaysian Armed Forces, including subject matter exchanges and information-sharing initiatives aimed at strengthening interoperability and mutual understanding.
Established in 1980, Operation Gateway is one of Defence’s longest continuously running overseas operations.
