Members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom, celebrated sports and culture as part of Exercise Bersama Lima 2024.
The exercise enhanced the capabilities of member nations to respond to regional, natural disasters and security threats in order to develop trust and cooperation between the FPDA nations.
The exercise also included sports and other engagement activities designed to strengthen nation-to-nation links and enhance interoperability.
Exercise Director Rear Admiral Kwan Hon Chuong, of the Republic of Singapore Navy, said he has enjoyed working with Australians for many years.
“We know each other very well. Australia has always been very professional and, of course, Australians are a very fun bunch to work with,” Rear Admiral Hon Chuong said.
“Exercise Bersama Lima lets us exchange professional knowledge and experiences amongst the participants.
“From that it also fosters mutual understanding, mutual trust among the participants and among FPDA nations.
“That’s really important because by doing that, you promote regional stability and regional cooperation.”
A contingent of about 400 ADF personnel from Navy, Air Force and Army participated in Exercise Bersama Lima, which concluded on October 18.
