Five countries start Power Defence Arrangements trainings

Recently, the annual Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) military drill, known as the Drill Bersama Shield ended in Malaysia.

Two weeks of training with the military from Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK they involved 250 members of the ADF.

The exercise covered land, sea, and air components from April 27 to May 12. Its focus was on combining joint operations in a multi-threat environment.

Colonel Lau Mun Leng of the Singapore Armed Forces, overseeing the exercise, explained how it would improve interoperability and foster professional partnerships.

Colonel Lau Mun Leng said, “Bersama Shield was a tier one tactical level exercise, with the main effort focused on tactical integration.”

There were 140 augmentations from all five countries, 20 fighter aircraft, seven support aircraft, one helicopter, and four ships.

The Royal Australian Navy’s Leading Seaman, Joseph French, a communications information systems sailor, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to collaborate with the armed forces of the other four countries.

Leading Seaman French remarked, “It has been a positive experience to engage with the other nations, as they conduct a similar communications function monitoring all signal traffic.

“The activity was productive. Working in a multinational atmosphere allowed us to learn from one another.

Royal Australian Air Force Air Vice Marshal Geoffrey Harland, commander of the Integrated Area Defence System in Malaysia, emphasized the significance of the FPDA and Bersama Shield.

“Bersama Shield allows the FPDA to exercise jointly, contributing to regional security,” said Air Vice Marshal Harland.

We enhanced our regional integration and cooperation thanks to the combined exercise.

Exercise Bersama Lima will take place in October after Exercise Bersama Shield, the first of a pair.