Australian Ambassador Welcomes Joint Air Force Exercises

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr Bill Farmer, joined Australian and Indonesian Air Force officials in welcoming EXERCISE ALBATROSS AUSINDO, an Air Force Maritime Surveillance Exercise to be conducted by the Royal Australian Air Force and the Indonesian Air Force from 16-20 July in Darwin, Australia.

Australia’s Air Commander, Air Vice-Marshal John Quaife, and Indonesia’s Commander of Air Force Operations II, Air Vice-Marshal Ida Bagus Sanubari, officially opened EXERCISE ALBATROSS AUSINDO 2007 in a ceremony at the Royal Australian Air Force Base in Darwin on Monday 16 July.

“This exercise demonstrates the commitment between Australia and Indonesia in developing cooperative maritime surveillance procedures,” Air Vice-Marshal Quaife said.

Using a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion and the Indonesian Air Force’s Boeing 737, Air Force members from both countries will conduct “search and survivor supply” maritime surveillance activities, where the aircraft will find a survivor at sea and drop lifesaving gear to them, Air Vice-Marshal Quaife explained.

Late last year, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Indonesian Air Force conducted EXERCISE RAJAWALI AUSINDO at the Royal Australian Air Force Base in Richmond.

In addition to combined training activities, the Australia-Indonesia Air Force relationship also includes regular strategic level talks, exchange postings and educational exchanges.

Ambassador Farmer added that “EXERCISE ALBATROSS AUSINDO is one of the regular Australia-Indonesia Air Force activities designed to increase our capacity to work together in areas of mutual maritime security.”

Further information:
Steven Barraclough (Acting Counsellor Public Affairs) mob. 0812 1053 989