U.S. – Australia Relations

Minister for Defence Visit to Exercise RIMPAC 08

Hawaii — 10 July 2008

MIN81/08

From 6-8 July 2008, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP, visited the Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel participating in the 21st Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) in the waters around Hawaii.

As part of his visit, the Minister met with Navy personnel aboard the Collins Class submarine HMAS Waller, and the ANZAC class frigate HMAS ANZAC.

Australian units participating in RIMPAC include HMA Ships ANZAC, Success, Tobruk, and Waller; Australian Clearance Diving Team Four; and two AP3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Additionally, representatives from all three Services are augmenting various headquarter staffs.

RIMPAC 08 is a combined and joint maritime exercise, comprised of forces from Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Netherlands, Peru, Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The exercise is intended to enhance the tactical proficiency of participating units’ combined operations at sea as a basis to promote stability throughout the Pacific.

Australia’s participation in RIMPAC enhances Australia’s interoperability with the US and other participating forces and assists in advancing Australia’s defence relationships with regional partners.

In Hawaii, the Minister met with the Commander of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Timothy J. Keating and participated in round-table discussions with the East West Centre, a US Government funded cooperative education and research organisation focused on the Asia Pacific Region. The Minister will travel on to Texas to visit the Joint Strike Fighter facilities at Lockheed Martin.

Original document from www.minister.defence.gov.au.

Last update: Tuesday, 15 July 2008 GMT+1000