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Australia has joined India, Japan and the United States for Exercise Malabar, a major Indo-Pacific maritime activity aimed at strengthening interoperability and cooperation among regional partners.
The Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac Class frigate, HMAS Ballarat, is taking part in the exercise, held in the western Pacific training area from 10 to 18 November. The Royal Australian Air Force has also deployed a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, which will operate out of Andersen Air Force Base in Guam throughout the exercise.
Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones AO CSC RAN said the exercise comes at a critical time for regional security.
“As regional security challenges evolve rapidly, partnerships and joint exercises are more important than ever,” VADM Jones said.
“Through Exercise Malabar, Australia and its partners are strengthening Indo-Pacific security by addressing shared challenges, coordinating our collective strengths and closing gaps in global engagement.
“The complex training in anti-submarine warfare, air defence and replenishment at sea helps build the trust, interoperability and readiness needed to respond effectively to our shared security challenges.”
Exercise Malabar was first held as a bilateral training activity between India and the United States in 1992, before later expanding to include Japan and Australia. Australia hosted the 2023 iteration.
Commanding Officer of HMAS Ballarat, Commander Dean Uren, said his crew was eager to train alongside some of the region’s most capable naval forces.
“Our participation in Exercise Malabar is part of a three-month regional presence deployment from Australia and is a fantastic opportunity to enhance interoperability with key Indo-Pacific partners,” CMDR Uren said.
“With a crew of 177 and an embarked MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, Ballarat brings significant capability to the exercise.
“Training alongside regional partners ensures our people and platforms are ready to respond to any contingency and deter coercion in the Indo-Pacific.”
HMAS Ballarat is capable of conducting air defence, surface and undersea warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction missions, and is equipped with advanced systems designed to counter simultaneous threats from aircraft, surface ships and submarines.
