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Royal Australian Navy Hobart Class air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart has joined the French-led multilateral maritime training activity Exercise La Perouse 25 in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia.
During the exercise, 12 ships and more than 30 aircraft will practice maritime interoperability missions, including multi-domain and simulated warfare training, boarding operations, live fire exercises, and air-based search and rescue procedures.
The exercise involves participants from Canada, France, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States, including the French Navy aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle.
Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones AO CSC, RAN, said the exercise would deepen Australia’s cooperation with France and strengthen the shared engagement with partners in the Indo-Pacific.
“Multilateral exercises like La Perouse 25 highlight our shared security interests and allow the Australian Defence Force to strengthen cooperation and build interoperability with other nations through a live training environment,” VADM Jones said.
“Australia’s security and prosperity lies in the Indo-Pacific, and the experience gained through this exercise ensures we can collectively maintain peace, security and prosperity in the region.”
Commanding Officer of HMAS Hobart Commander Alisha Withers RAN, said La Perouse 25 was the largest iteration of the exercise in its history.
“The whole ship’s company is excited to put our training to the test during such a challenging but rewarding event,” CMDR Withers said.
“It’s also a great honour to work alongside the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, especially as it is the first time the French carrier strike group has deployed so close to Australia.”
Exercise La Perouse 25, the first major multinational exercise on Defence’s 2025 calendar, is also the first key event for HMAS Hobart during its three-month regional presence deployment.
Indo-Pacific regional presence deployments demonstrate Australia’s commitment and ability to maintain a near continuous presence in the region to support regional security and stability.
