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Elements from the Australian Defence Force, including F-35A fighter aircraft, HMAS Ballarat and almost 400 personnel, will join Five Power Defence Arrangements partner forces as part of Exercise Bersama Lima 2025.
The fortnight-long activity, which began this week, will see combined sea, air and land forces conduct complex warfighting serials focused on the defence of Malaysia and Singapore, alongside humanitarian assistance and disaster relief scenarios.
Around 400 Australian Defence Force personnel are taking part, supported by Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft and the Anzac Class frigate HMAS Ballarat. They will operate alongside Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) partners including a Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group, reflecting the growing scale and ambition of the exercise.
In addition to military training, Bersama Lima 2025 also incorporates sporting and cultural engagement activities to strengthen personal relationships and deepen interoperability across the five nations.
Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones, AO, CSC, RAN, said the FPDA continue to play a vital role in safeguarding regional stability, saying, “The FPDA remains an indispensable anchor for regional security,” VADM Jones said.
The 1971 FPDA agreement, signed at the height of Cold War tensions and Britain’s withdrawal from “East of Suez”, committed the five nations – Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom – to consult in the event of external aggression against Malaysia or Singapore. While not a formal alliance, the FPDA has become a practical defence and security framework underpinned by regular exercises, information-sharing and integrated command structures.
VADM Jones added, “For over 50 years, Australia has conducted warfighting exercises with our partners from the FPDA. Exercise Bersama Lima is a clear demonstration of that enduring commitment and of our shared objective to achieve a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.”
Bersama Lima remains the largest and most visible activity under the FPDA framework, showcasing the ability of five diverse militaries to operate together in increasingly complex environments.
For Australia, participation not only strengthens ties with close regional partners but also supports the objectives outlined in the 2024 National Defence Strategy, which identified the FPDA as a cornerstone of the nation’s regional defence partnerships.
With the Indo-Pacific facing growing strategic competition and pressure on smaller nations to navigate between major powers, the continuation of FPDA exercises highlights the enduring value of the arrangement more than five decades after its creation.
