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Partner forces from Tonga, France, Fiji, the United States, and Japan have travelled to Townsville’s Field Training Area to take part in Exercise Diamond Strike 23, alongside the Australian Army’s 7th Brigade.
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Hosted between 22 June and 15 July, Exercise Diamond Strike is slated to cover combined arms activities featuring an array of different and unique technological capabilities on display from the partner nations.
According to Brigadier Michael Say DSC, Commander of 7th Brigade, the activity will better enable Australia to interoperate with regional partners.
“This series of warfighting exercises enables Army to integrate with our allies, partners and Pacific family into our combined arms organisation,” BRIG Say said.
“It demonstrates that we are committed to assisting our partners not only through disaster relief, but into our security response planning as well.”
Defence explained that Diamond Strike includes Exercise Southern Jackaroo, made up of the Australian Defence Force, the United States Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
It is designed to improve trilateral warfighting capabilities.
“Exercises such as these improve the interoperability between our nations and strengthen our deterrence and response capabilities,” Japan’s Army Attaché to Australia, Colonel Yosuke Ota said.
“Through Exercise Southern Jackaroo, we will deepen cooperation and coordination to enable a peaceful and stable region.”
Colonel Ota’s observations were echoed by Colonel Brendan Sullivan, Commanding Officer of the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin.
“Conducting synchronised fire and manoeuvre with Australian and Japanese allies increases our combined posture to respond to crisis and contingency in the region,” said COL Sullivan.
“Exercise Southern Jackaroo is an excellent opportunity to increase lethality by rehearsing combined warfighting tactics with a focus on small-unit leadership.”
The exercsise ramps up as soldiers from the Third Battalion competed for 10 qualified sniper positions in the battalion at Lavarack Barracks and Townsville Field Training Area.
During the course, soldiers took part in day and night navigation, judging distances, fitness testing, stalking an enemy, weighted march, swimming, camouflage and concealment.
Sergeant Jake Phillips said as a sniper supervisor, he looked for a specific set of attributes when selecting soldiers for the next phase.
“We’re looking for soldiers who can be adaptive and independent,” SGT Phillips said.
“Snipers are often expected to work as individuals, so having initiative is important.”
