Following the successful completion of Exercise Talisman Saber 2013, nearly 1,000 Australian Army and United States Marine Corps personnel are preparing to take part in Exercise Koolendong 2013, which will be conducted at the Bradshaw Field Training Area south-west of Darwin.
Starting on August 28 and concluding on September 7, Exercise Koolendong will involve 150 Australian Army participants drawn from the 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and 700 Marine Corps from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa.
The Department of Defence said: “The exercise will provide an opportunity for US and Australian personnel to conduct a battalion-sized live-fire exercise in a remote and austere training environment.”
F/A-18D Hornets currently at RAAF Tindal for Exercise Southern Frontier will participate in Koolendong, as will MV-22 Ospreys, CH-53 Super Stallions, UH-1Y Hueys and AV-8B Harriers of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.