MANILA – The Philippine Army (PA) and its Australian Army counterparts formally launched the month-long Exercise Carabaroo 2024 in Darwin, Australia, on Monday (15 July 2024).
In a statement on Tuesday, PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said that the Australian Army’s 1st Brigade is hosting this year’s edition of the drills.
“This exercise forms part of the broader architecture of Exercise Predator’s Run 2024, which is dubbed the Australian Army’s most significant littoral training activity of the year,” he added.
The PA has deployed a 125-member contingent for the event.
In addition, Army and Marines contingents from the United States, United Kingdom, and Timor Leste are participating in the exercise, which tests the deployment concept of a Light Littoral Brigade on Australia’s northern coast.
Littoral refers to areas near shores or coastal regions.
The PA delegation, led by Governance and Strategy Management Office (GSMO), 5th Infantry Division (GSMO, 5ID) Chief Col. Jesus C. Pagala, is comprised of selected General Staff and personnel from the 5th Infantry Division, Training and Doctrine Command, Army Artillery Regiment, Army Signal Regiment, Army Support Command, Special Forces Regiment (Airborne), First Scout Ranger Regiment, and Combat Engineer Regiment.
The Philippine and Australian governments signed the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) in May 2007 as the basis for defense cooperation between the two nations.
(el Amigo/mnm)