Launch of Exercise KAKADU 2018 on board HMAS Canberra in Darwin. Credit: © Commonwealth of Australia 2018.

Exercise KAKADU 2018 has commenced onboard the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Canberra-class landing helicopter dock flagship HMAS Canberra in Northern Territory.

Exercise KAKADU is a joint exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Navy and supported by the Royal Australian Air Force.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Conducted both onshore and at sea off the coast of Darwin, this year’s event involves the participation of 27 countries deploying more than 3,000 personnel, 23 navy vessels, 21 aircraft, and a submarine.

Australian Fleet commander rear admiral Jonathan Mead said: “Having 27 countries from such a wide spectrum involved in Exercise KAKADU is a fantastic opportunity for us all to be able to understand each other’s abilities, and to be able to develop the confidence to work together effectively.”

“Exercise KAKADU 2018 is designed to be carried out into three phases, which include a harbour phase, a force integration training phase, and a free-play phase.”

In addition to Australia, the other participating nations include Bangladesh, Canada, Chile, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, the People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the UAE, the US and Vietnam.

Australian Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said: “This premier international exercise will provide invaluable training opportunities for maritime security and surveillance for all involved.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

“Participation by nations from the South West Pacific, South East Asia and from the wider Indo-Pacific further strengthens the bonds we enjoy with our close regional partners.”

Exercise KAKADU 2018 is designed to be carried out into three phases, which include a harbour phase, a force integration training phase, and a free-play phase.

KAKADU is a premier multilateral regional maritime engagement exercise that is conducted twice a year in Darwin and the Northern Australian Exercise Areas (NAXA).

This year’s exercise is scheduled to continue until mid-September.

Naval Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Naval Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Virtualitics has secured the Innovation and Business Expansion awards for its Integrated Readiness Optimization (IRO) suite. Discover how its explainable AI is transforming maintenance, sustainment and mission readiness, giving defence leaders faster, clearer, and more confident operational decisions.

Discover the Impact