Watchkeeping

U.S. Marines Arrive for Australian Rotational Deployment; Marine South East Asia Unit Drills in Singapore

Marines and sailors with Marine Rotational Pressure – Darwin 25.3 get off a Boeing 777 at Royal Australian Air Pressure Base Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, March 17, 2025. US Marine Corps Photograph

U.S. Marines and sailors have arrived in Australia’s Northern Territory to kick off the 14th annual rotation of the Marine Rotational Pressure – Darwin (MRF-D) Marine Air-Floor Activity Pressure introduced Marine Corps and Australian Defence Division releases on Monday.

In the meantime, Marine Rotational Pressure – South East Asia (MRF-SEA) started Train Valiant Mark 25 in Singapore on Monday, its ultimate engagement earlier than returning to america by the top of this month.

The Darwin deployment brings roughly 2,500 U.S. Marines and sailors to Australia to coach and function alongside the Australian Defence Pressure, reads an announcement from the service.

“The Marines and sailors of this yr’s rotation sit up for coaching with our Australian counterparts and regional companions, constructing upon many years of shared custom and operational expertise,” mentioned U.S. Marine Col. Jason Armas, commanding officer of the MRF-D 25.3 Marine Air-Floor Activity Pressure (MAGTF), within the launch.

MRF-D is scheduled to take part in 17 workout routines throughout its deployment, together with the U.S. – Australian-led multinational train Talisman Sabre 25.

Primarily based within the northern Australian city, the MRF-D will maintain workout routines to drill humanitarian help and catastrophe reduction, non-combatant evacuations, embassy reinforcements, expeditionary operations and fast deployment of forces. The drills will span the Australian continent and prolong past its borders to the Philippines, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and different regional safety companions.

“The annual MRF-D rotation is a significant factor of Australia’s pressure posture cooperation with america. It is a hallmark of our alliance and enhances Australia’s capability to discourage coercion and preserve a safe and secure area,” reads an Australian Defence Division launch

The releases didn’t point out the precise models forming MRF-D 25.3 although MRF-D is generally constructed from models from the first Marine Expeditionary Pressure stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif. The earlier yr’s rotation, MRF-D 24.3 consisted of fifth Marine Regiment because the command aspect, fifth Marine Regt. (Strengthened) as the bottom fight aspect; Fight Logistics Battalion 5 (Strengthened) because the logistics fight aspect; and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (Strengthened) because the aviation fight aspect.

A Marine with 1st Mild Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, connected to Marine Rotational Pressure-Southeast Asia participates in a fight marksmanship vary in Sattahip, Thailand, Feb. 28, 2025. US Marine Corps Photograph

As MRF-D enters the area, MRF-SEA is getting into the final month of its six-month rotation within the area with the unit scheduled to return to California by the top of March. Throughout its deployment MRF-SEA carried out workout routines Sama Sama and KAMANDAG within the Philippines, Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Coaching (CARAT) Malaysia, CARAT Brunei, Train Keris MAREX in Indonesia, Train Valiant Mark 24 in Singapore, and Cobra Gold 25 in Thailand with Valiant Mark 25 in Singapore being its final engagement within the area. MRF-SEA additionally assisted within the supply of humanitarian help to Philippine civilians affected by Storm Krathon in northern Luzon in October final yr.

Though MRF-SEA, like MDF-D is drawn from models underneath I MEF’s command, the unit is constructed otherwise than MRF-D, as a substitute of a hard and fast pressure composition all through the deployment like MRF-D, the present MRF-SEA deployment is constructed across the command aspect of the thirteenth MEU and arranged in keeping with duties.

“The core of MRF-SEA is the thirteenth MEU’s command aspect. Our natural capabilities enable us to plan, command and management, and execute disaster responses or workout routines. Relying on the duty at hand, MRF-SEA receives task-organized pressure packages from I MEF to make sure we now have the correct capabilities, on the proper time, for the correct mission.”, Capt Mark McDonough, a spokesman for MRF-SEA informed USNI Information.
“We offer INDOPACOM a stand-in pressure that may quickly obtain follow-on forces to execute deliberate workout routines or meet conditions as they come up.”

MRF-SEA and the Singapore Armed Forces started Train Valiant Mark 25 on Monday in Singapore with the train scheduled to wrap up on Mar. 26 with 600 personnel from the third Battalion Singapore Guards and seventh Singapore Infantry Brigade, and about 200 personnel from the MRF-SEA participating within the train that may embody skilled exchanges, live-firing and heliborne coaching, culminating in a bilateral city operations mission, said a Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) launch.

“The consistency and progress of Train Valiant Mark over three many years since its institution demonstrates the dedication of each nations to the regional safety and mutual dedication in strengthening military-to-military relationships within the Indo-Pacific Area.”, mentioned Col. Wong Pui Chuan, Chief Guards Officer and Commander, twenty first Singapore Division, within the assertion.


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Ryan

Ryan O'Neill is a maritime enthusiast and writer who has a passion for studying and writing about ships and the maritime industry in general. With a deep passion for the sea and all things nautical, Ryan has a plan to unite maritime professionals to share their knowledge and truly connect Sea 2 Shore.

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