iscover
Australia has gifted 12 up-armoured LandCruiser vehicles to Papua New Guinea in a show of increasing interoperability between the PNG Defence Force and Australian Defence Force.
The armoured personnel carriers, not affixed with armaments, were handed over during a ceremony at Murray Barracks in Port Moresby on 11 August.
The ceremony was attended by Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles as well as Papua New Guinea Minister for Defence Dr Billy Joseph and military personnel.
The vehicles are lighter than Bushmaster armoured vehicles used by the Australian Defence Force and are envisioned to be used by the PNGDF for internal security operations, according to comments made by Dr Joseph to local media.
Delivery of the armoured personnel carriers had previously been announced by Minister Marles during the 30th PNG-Australian Ministerial Forum held in Port Moresby in 2024.
At that time, it was also announced that Australia would fund the refurbishment of the PNGDF Air Transport Wing hangar at Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby to use as an operational space for both the PNGDF and ADF.
“Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles MP, and Papua New Guinea Minister for Defence, Dr Billy Joseph, reaffirmed our joint commitment for increasing interoperability of our forces while growing and strengthening PNGDF capabilities,” Defence said.
Earlier this month, Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 officially ended with a closing ceremony at Lae, Papua New Guinea, on 4 August.
PNGDF and ADF personnel had taken part in the 11th iteration of the exercise among more than 40,000 military personnel from 19 nations. In addition, training exercises were held in PNG for the first time.
The final activity of Talisman Sabre 2025 saw personnel from Australia, the United States and Papua New Guinea’s defence forces conduct a joint personnel recovery activity across several training locations between Lae and Wewak in Papua New Guinea.
