Indo-Pacific Endeavour returns to Australia

Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022 (IPE22), Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity, has come to a close with HMAS Adelaide sailing into Darwin.

From late September to early December, IPE22 involved five ships, 11 helicopters and approximately 1800 personnel. The contingent visited 14 countries including Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.

Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, AO, CSC, emphasised the importance of IPE in supporting relationships with regional partners and enhancing regional stability.

“Building on the Australian Defence Force’s robust and longstanding program of regional engagement, IPE22 is a clear demonstration of Australia’s enduring commitment to an open, inclusive and resilient Indo‑Pacific,” Lieutenant General Bilton said.

“Enhancing our relations with regional partners enables us to deepen our cooperation so we can work closely together when it counts.

“IPE22 provided a chance for our personnel to build personal links across the region, from meeting senior military commanders to visiting schools and communities. This helped deepen mutual understanding.

“As we look towards future cooperation with our partners across the Indo-Pacific, IPE22 has set a new benchmark for the scope and scale of what the ADF can achieve through regional engagement.

“I thank all personnel deployed on IPE22, and their families for their valuable contribution.”

Commander IPE22, Commodore Mal Wise, AM, RAN, highlighted the importance of the return to in-person engagements and the whole-of-Australian Government effort to deliver IPE22.

“It was great to be back engaging face-to-face with our counterparts across Southeast Asia and the Northeast Indian Ocean,” Commodore Wise said.

“With involvement from across the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, it was a whole-of-government effort.

“IPE22 included exchanges with our friends on important issues such as maritime law, gender, peace and security, and military medicine.

“The inclusion of Australian defence industry and fly-in fly-out elements this year was particularly valuable in enabling a diverse and ambitious suite of engagement across the entire spectrum of our national activities.”

The IPE22 contingent included HMA Ships Adelaide, Anzac, Hobart, Arunta and Stalwart, and fly-in fly-out activities supported by Royal Australian Air Force aircraft.

Highlights of IPE22 included:

• Visited Maldives and Laos for the first time as part of IPE.
• Two Australian Army Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles disembarked in Singapore to support an urban-training serial at Singapore’s Murai Urban Training Facility.
• Australian and Indonesian soldiers integrated on a new level, demonstrating an amphibious beach landing on the island of Dabo Singkep, Indonesia.
• A RAAF C-17A Globemaster III delivered humanitarian relief supplies to Laos.
• HMAS Stalwart conducted Australia’s first replenishment at sea exercise with the Philippines.
• Defence Industry Seminars were held aboard HMAS Adelaide in India, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
• Australian and Bruneian soldiers integrated for a small-boats amphibious landing demonstration on Penanjong Beach.
• A RAAF C-130J Hercules and crew conducted workshops with Bangladesh Air Force Hercules air and maintenance crews.

Media note

Media can access imagery of Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022 at https://images.defence.gov.au/assets/S20222780 and view the VNR at: V20222780 IPE22 VNR