The Indonesian Navy and a U.S. Naval Special Warfare unit participated in a combined training exercise to improve bilateral relations, strengthen defense capabilities and promote interoperability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The activity, which took place from July 1 to 26, included maritime tactics, close-quarters combat, sniper shooting, tactical combat casualty care, evacuation procedures and mission planning.
The recent training event builds on a defense cooperation arrangement U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Indonesian Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto signed in 2023, reflecting their shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. In a meeting between the officials, they discussed ways to expand training opportunities, increase educational exchanges and improve maritime domain awareness.
An NSW operator participating in the joint exercise said the event supports the countries in “forging lasting bonds, cultivating relationships and exchanging invaluable cultural insights, which are indispensable during times of good and bad.”
In a speech at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue in June 2023, Austin, a Wash100 awardee, discussed dangerous operational behavior at sea, citing China’s “alarming number of risky intercepts of U.S. and allied aircraft flying lawfully in international airspace.”
“The United States does not seek a new Cold War,” he told participants of the defense summit. “Instead, we’re working to strengthen the guardrails against conflict and to redouble our diplomacy.”