Indonesian, Australian forces hold joint amphibious landing exercise

Situbondo (ANTARA) - Thousands of Indonesian and Australian troops conducted a joint amphibious landing exercise on Thursday at Banongan Beach in Situbondo, East Java, as part of the biennial Keris Woomera 2026 joint defense operations.

Running from October 10 to 20, under the theme "TNI-ADF Joint Task Force", the exercise involves 2,174 personnel alongside land, sea, and air military assets from both nations to strengthen the defense cooperation and regional security.

Brig. Gen. Kamil Bahren Pasha, Exercise Director from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), and Col. Mark Tutton, Landing Force Commander from the Australian Defence Force (ADF), directly inspected the beachhead operations.

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The joint scenario saw warships, including KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda-367, HMAS Choules, HMAS Stalwart, and HMAS Perth, anchor offshore to conduct surface infiltration and reconnaissance prior to the assault.

Elite units from the Indonesian Marine Corps, Navy Special Forces (Kopaska), and the ADF Maritime Tactical Operations team cleared the beach zone to secure the landing area.

Close air support was delivered by two Indonesian Super Tucano aircraft and three Royal Australian Air Force PC-21 planes, clearing the way for two assault waves utilizing landing craft, inflatable boats, and military transports to secure shore targets.

The drills aim to enhance joint operational capabilities, align tactical procedures, and improve coordination across maritime, land, and air domains between the two armed forces.

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Translator: Novi Husdinariyanto, Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Fransiska Ninditya
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