The Australia-Indonesia combined joint military exercise Keris Woomera 2024 (KW24) finished on 16 November with a live fire exercise conducted by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) in East Java. The Indonesian Armed Forces weapons range hosted tanks, artillery, fighter aircraft, attack helicopters, and infantry with various handheld weaponry from both militaries for a firepower demonstration. This was the largest and most complex live fire serial that the ADF and TNI have conducted together in Indonesia in recent history, building shared tactics, techniques and procedures to enable further cooperation in future.
Exercise Keris Woomera 2024 (KW24), which involves about 2000 personnel, featured air, maritime, amphibious and land operations, as well as a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief evacuation scenario. Taking place in Australia and Indonesia, KW24 highlights the ongoing cooperation between the two countries, which was strengthened by the recent signing of the Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Agreement. As part of the exercise, 32 members of the TNI embarked HMAS Adelaide to conduct integration training with their ADF counterparts and the Australian Amphibious Force (AAF). The initial integration training took place at Robertson Barracks, Darwin, implemented by 5th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment.
“Following the success of Exercise Keris Woomera, Australia and Indonesia are even more committed to growing the breadth and depth of our defence and security relationship. Our efforts to plan, prepare and execute Exercise Keris Woomera have paved the way for further engagement under the Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Agreement,” said Colonel Judd Finger, Commander Landing Forces of the ADF.
“Exercise Keris Woomera has bolstered our close defence cooperation with Indonesia, strengthening our interoperability and demonstrating we are ready to work alongside our Indonesian partners. I would like to extend my thanks to our Indonesian partners for making Exercise Keris Woomera such a successful training activity,” said Captain Chris Doherty RAN, Commander Amphibious Taskforce in the ADF.
Exercise Keris Woomera demonstrated the ongoing close military cooperation between the Australian Defence Force and the Indonesian Armed Forces, strengthened by the recent signing of the Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Agreement—the most significant defence agreement in the history of the bilateral relationship. Exercise Keris Woomera culminated with a combined joint live-fire exercise consisting of tanks, artillery, infantry and attack helicopters. Exercise Keris Woomera is part of Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2024, Australia’s largest military engagement activity in the region. This collaboration aimed to enhance interoperability and readiness to respond to shared security challenges in the region.
