Task Force visits Indonesia

The Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 Joint Task Force has begun its engagement program in Indonesia during the final port visits before returning to Australia later this month.

CAPTION: HMA Ships Canberra and Newcastle sail in company during Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019. Photo by Leading Seaman Christopher Szumlanski.

HMA Ships Canberra and Newcastle arrived in Jakarta on Saturday, with HMAS Success visiting Makassar in South Sulawesi the same day.

Commander IPE19 Air Commodore Rick Owen said the visits were a valuable opportunity to enhance one of Australia’s most important regional defence partnerships.

“We have a shared maritime border and a common interest in promoting peace and stability in the region,” Air Commodore Owen said.

“Our defence relationship is long-standing and focused on a wide variety of security-related matters including counter-terrorism, maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping, defence industry co-operation and intelligence.”

In Jakarta, members of the Joint Task Force are conducting a series of civilian and military engagements, with the Australian Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mike Noonan joining IPE19 for high-level talks with Indonesian National Armed Forces officials.

In Makassar, members of the Joint Task Force are conducting a similar program, hosting local authorities and conducting Ramadan activities.

IPE19 is the ADF’s major regional engagement activity, delivering on the promise of the 2016 Defence White Paper to strengthen Australia’s engagement and partnerships with regional security forces.

The IPE19 Joint Task Group is comprised of more than 1000 personnel from Navy, Army and Air Force.

Previous port visits included Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.

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