Navy task group to depart Townsville with free Mogs

An Australian Defence Force Joint Task Group will depart Townsville tomorrow to undertake Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2018 (IPE18), a major maritime activity to enhance defence engagement and partnerships with regional security forces in the south-west Pacific.

FILE PHOTO (September 2017): HMAS Adelaide sails the Timor Sea during Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2017. Photo by Leading Seaman Peter Thompson.

IPE18 will encompass a wide range of activities spanning disaster assistance planning, community engagement, multinational naval manoeuvres, and defence and security training with partner forces in Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

IPE18 will involve approximately 1000 personnel from HMA Ships Adelaide, Melbourne, Toowoomba and Success, as well as amphibious Australian Army force elements from 2RAR, and other support personnel drawn from across the ADF.

Representatives from Fiji, Vanuatu, and Tonga will join the task group in Townsville to participate in IPE18.

The task group will also facilitate the transit of US, Tongan, and Sri Lankan marine forces to Hawaii for Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2018 (RIMPAC).

Media have been invited to photograph personnel from six nations, and a variety of equipment including five Unimog trucks that will be donated by Australia to Tonga.

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