MANILA — Some 26 countries will be participating in this year’s Multilateral Regional Exercise “Kakadu” slated in Darwin, Australia on Aug. 31-Sept. 15.
“(KAKADU 2018) will be participated by 24 vessels and 21 aircraft from 26 countries,” Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson, Commander Jonathan Zata said in a message to reporters Saturday.
“The participating countries involve including the Philippines are Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, UAE, USA and Vietnam,” he added.
Zata said the PN will be deploying BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16) and a 300-man contingent to participate in the exercise.
“This is the third time the PN has sent its ship to participate since the exercise began way back in 1993. The first time that the PN sent a ship was in 1999 and the last was in 2014. PN observers were also sent in 2003, 2005, and 2007. However, in 2016 the Philippine Navy was not able to participate in this exercise,” he added.
“KAKADU” is the 14th iteration of the multilateral naval exercise hosted biennially by the Royal Australian Navy having started in 1993. (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
