Australia and Malaysia Participate in Combined Maritime Exercise
(August 11, 2008) -- The Royal Australian Navy has today commenced Mastex, a combined maritime warfare exercise with the Royal Malaysian Navy in waters north of Darwin.
Taking part in the week long exercise are Adelaide Class Frigate HMAS Melbourne with an embarked Seahawk helicopter and Armidale Class Patrol Boat HMAS Maryborough, alongside Royal Malaysian Navy ship KD Jebat with a Super Lynx helicopter.
The Royal Australian Air Force will support the exercise with Hawks from 79 Squadron and one P-3 Orion from 92 Wing.
PEL-AIR Aviation Australia will participate, providing realistic maritime strike and air combat support - towing air targets for anti air warfare.
The Mastex exercise aims to progress interoperability in areas common to both Navies and will be comprised of a wide range of security and warfare exercises and evolutions. Scheduled exercises include; Air Firings against towed targets, officer of the watch manoeuvres, boarding exercises and air warfare serials.
The Commander Australian Patrol Boat Group, Captain Vaughan Rixon, CSC, ADC, RAN said at the opening ceremony on Saturday, "This iteration of Mastex will build on the exercises' past successes, and provides a vital opportunity for the Navies of Australia and Malaysia to work together to improve our combined maritime warfare procedures and tactics."
"The exercise once again reaffirms the strong ties between the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Malaysian Navy," he said.
Source : MoD Australia
Recent News from MoD Australia
previous page 
homepage 
print this page 
tell-a-friend