MEDIA RELEASE
24 August 2009
JOINT EXERCISE OLGETA WARRIOR BONDS NATIONS
With several hundred Australian and 12 PNGDF troops aboard, HMAS Kanimbla arrived in Port Moresby today to partake in the largest bilateral exercise since independence, Exercise Olgeta Warrior.
The exercise aims to further strengthen the strong traditional bonds that have developed between the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) and Australian Defence Force (ADF).
HMAS Kanimbla will act as a platform for the exercise, which consists of amphibious, land and aviation aspects, including:
- Exercise Wantok Warrior, an infantry focussed exercise that will team up Townsville based 3rd Brigade diggers with PNGDF soldiers from the Royal Pacific Islands Regiment as they train together to develop jungle warfare skills.
- Exercise Pukpuk, already underway, as 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment soldiers assist PNGDF engineers to development infrastructure in the Goldie River area.
- Exercise Helicon Luk, a high density altitude rotary wing exercise involving 16th Aviation Regiment and the PNGDF’s Air Transport Wing.
- Exercise Tauri Tardia, a combined joint amphibious exercise involving the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and the 1st Battalion, Royal Pacific Islands Regiment of the PNGDF.
The troops aboard HMAS Kanimbla will be joined by around 200 more PNGDF soldiers.
In overall command, the Joint Task Force Commander, Australian Naval Captain Stephen Woodall, said the exercise presented an exciting opportunity for the nations’ forces to train together.
“We have a very strong relationship with our friends in the PNGDF – it’s one based on mutual respect and mutual trust – Exercise Olgeta Warrior will further strengthen those ties,” he said.
The PNGDF Joint Forces Commander, Colonel Vagi Oala said “the exercise is an opportunity for the two forces to train and work together to achieve common goals. It is an opportunity for the troops to exchange professional information and culture which may be unique to the two countries. It is expected that the exercise will add value to the individuals, organisations and two countries now and in the future.”
Land Component Commander and Commanding Officer of the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, LTCOL Rupert Hoskin said the exercise would benefit individual soldiers as well as the wider defence forces.
“This is an excellent opportunity for ADF and PNGDF soldiers to share knowledge and to experience different cultures, and for our relationship with our Pacific neighbour Papua New Guinea,” LTCOL Hoskin said.
“It will also provide superb training in amphibious operations and the formal process of preparing coalition forces to work together for regional security.”