DARWIN, AUSTRALIA, Friday, 31 August 2018 – The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) hosted Exercise KAKADU and Fleet Commanders Conference officially began today in Darwin. Present at the Opening Ceremony and Official Reception is the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) Fleet Commander, Captain Zil Husam bin Haji Abd Rahman, RBN. Exercise KAKADU is a joint-enabled, biennial exercise hosted by the RAN and supported by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAirF). Exercise KAKADU is Australia’s largest maritime exercise and aims to foster and strengthen effective security and humanitarian partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region through a series of training and engagement activities.Exercise KAKADU, will be held from 30 August to 15 September 2018, and will involve 23 ships and submarines, 21 aircrafts and more than 3,000 personnel and observers from 27 nations. Participating in this year exercise are two RBN officers who will be attached as part of the Exercise Control (EXCON) Staff – Commander Sonny Iskandar bin Rasani, Commanding Officer of KDB DARUSSALAM and Lieutenant Junior Grade Haji Norfaizul bin Hj Morni, RBN, Navigation Officer of KDB SYAFAAT.
The Officiating Ceremony of Exercise KAKADU 2018 took place onboard the RAN’s Flagship HMAS CANBERRA and was officiated by Rear Admiral Mead, Commander of Australian Fleet.
