Media Release
16 November 2024
The Australia-Indonesia combined joint military exercise Keris Woomera finished on 16 November with a live fire exercise conducted by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) in East Java.
A TNI weapons range hosted tanks, artillery, fighter aircraft, attack helicopters, and infantry with various handheld weaponry from both militaries for a firepower demonstration.
This was the largest and most complex live fire serial that the ADF and TNI have conducted together in Indonesia in recent history, building shared tactics, techniques and procedures to enable further cooperation in future.
Exercise Keris Woomera demonstrated the ongoing close military cooperation between Australia and Indonesia, strengthened by the recent signing of the Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Agreement—the most significant defence agreement in the history of the bilateral relationship.
“Exercise Keris Woomera has bolstered our close defence cooperation with Indonesia, strengthening our interoperability and demonstrating we are ready to work alongside our Indonesian partners,” said Captain Chris Doherty RAN, Commander Amphibious Taskforce in the ADF. “I would like to extend my thanks to our Indonesian partners for making Exercise Keris Woomera such a successful training activity.”
“Following the success of Exercise Keris Woomera, Australia and Indonesia are even more committed to growing the breadth and depth of our defence and security relationship,” said Colonel Judd Finger, Commander Landing Forces of the ADF. “Our efforts to plan, prepare and execute Exercise Keris Woomera have paved the way for further engagement under the Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Agreement.”
Exercise Keris Woomera is part of Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2024, Australia’s largest military engagement activity in the region.
Media can access imagery/vision at https://images.defence.gov.au/S20242015
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