There has been a significant change to the rhythm of this year’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE), with headquarters staff remaining in Singapore and in-country engagements adopting a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) approach.
Unlike last year, when Royal Australian Navy ships served as the primary base of operations, this year’s flexible approach has enabled closer engagement with government agencies.
IPE Operations Officer Commander Andrew Duff spoke about the adaptability of the FIFO approach, emphasising its value in catering to specific partner requests.
“In Thailand, our initial proposals focused on gender, peace and security-related activities, however deeper dialogue revealed Thailand’s interest in the ADF’s success in recruiting and retaining female personnel,” Commander Duff said.
“This led to a tailored seminar addressing this specific interest which was only possible due to the FIFO nature of this year.”
Singapore, with its strategic location and accessibility, served as the choice hub for the headquarters team, allowing for flexibility and quicker deployment to partner nations.
“Being based here means our time zone is closer to that of other countries, the flights are significantly shorter and it gives the ability to rest between in-country engagements,” Commander Duff said.
While some IPE years may be maritime-focused due to ship availability, other years, like 2023, allow for an increase in combined service activities.
IPE Chief of Staff Group Captain Lesley Carney said it was important to progress and increase meaningful engagements.
“In Timor-Leste, we ran a successful tabletop exercise that incorporated maritime scenarios including search-and-rescue,” Group Captain Carney said.
“Future engagements can leverage combined training and real-world assets to increase regional capability.”
Group Captain Carney said the fresh perspective a new team brings, coupled with passion and dedication, is what leads to a successful IPE.
“We have created a culture of inclusion and improvement so everyone has a voice and we can problem solve together.
“We translate that culture to how we connect with our partner countries because when you get the people part right, success will naturally follow.”
As IPE continues to evolve, the end goal of fostering regional relationships through cooperation and partnership remains consistent.
“It’s overwhelmingly wonderful to hear how much our partner nations believe in and appreciate their relationship with Australia,” Group Captain Carney said.
“Being part of something bigger than ourselves makes me proud.”
