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At a time of rapidly changing geostrategic priorities in the maritime domain (particularly in the Indo-Pacific), the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has embarked on a regional deployment to both Southeast Asia, Hawaii, and Guam.
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Three of the countries participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) – Australia, Japan and the US – conducted a trilateral passage in the Philippine Sea on their way to Hawaii at the tail end of June.
After arriving at RIMPAC, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) contingent (comprising of HMA Ships Canberra, Hobart, Stuart, Arunta and Sirius) joined forces with foreign counterparts to conduct replenishment at sea, aviation operations, maritime manoeuvres and communications drills.
This included the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, covering the US Navy’s guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam and guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin, as well as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Akizuki Class destroyer JS Teruzuki.
The RAAF join RIMPAC soon after, with over 150 RAAF personnel and a host of service aircraft deployed to the US territory of Guam. The Air Task Unit is comprised of some of the service's most valuable and high-tech assets: F/A-18A Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, an E-7A Wedgetail and a KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport.
Imagery released from this first stage of the deployment make for some of the most dramatic open-source photography released by Defence in recent years.
However with the Regional Presence Deployment 2020 well underway, the move comes immediately before
The Australian Defence Force is embarking upon a regional deployment to conduct exercises within Southeast Asia and Hawaii over the coming months. The Regional Presence Deployment 2020 demonstrates Australia’s commitment to sustaining strong and positive defence relationships with regional nations as well as the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region
