1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: As I'm sure you're probably aware, we know that Exercise 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: Kakadoo is currently underway, so the Royal Australian Navy's exercise, 3 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: and it does involve three thousand personnel from more than 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: twenty countries as I understand it, and it's one of 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:18,119 Speaker 1: the biggest exercises in history, with eighteen surface ships, one 6 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: submarine I think, and more than thirty aircraft. Now joining 7 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 1: me in the studio to tell us a little bit 8 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: more about this is Royal Australian Navy Head of Exercise Kakadoo, 9 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: Captain Pete Barthlet. Good morning to you, Pete. 10 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 2: Hello Katie, and thank you for the opportunity to come 11 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,240 Speaker 2: to your studio and speak about Kakadu to your listeners. 12 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: Yeah. I'm really interested to hear a bit more about 13 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: it because you know, obviously we can't see as much 14 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: of what's going on with Exercise Kackadoo as what we 15 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: maybe do with the aircraft exercises that take place. 16 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: Well, that's true, Katie. This is our fifteenth iteration of 17 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 2: the exercise. We do it every two years, although we 18 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:00,279 Speaker 2: miss the last one obviously for COVID, but we are 19 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 2: operating primarily up to the north of the Tiwi Islands 20 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 2: and to the west of Darwin into the exercise areas there. 21 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 1: And so what kind of activities are involved in the exercise. 22 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 2: Well, we have three primary phases of the exercise. We 23 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 2: have the sea pay, we have the harbor phase sorry, 24 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 2: and then we have a what we call force integration 25 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: training and free play phases. So in the harbor harbor phase, 26 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 2: we go through a bunch of briefs from weapon practice, 27 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 2: safety briefs, Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment briefs, exercise brief, 28 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 2: air safety briefs and so on. Plus we have sports 29 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 2: days and receptions and so forth. So that gets the 30 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,039 Speaker 2: people together, which is what Kakadu about. Kakadu is about 31 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 2: bringing our regional partners together, which is the important thing. 32 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 2: Then we roll into what we call force integration training, 33 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 2: and that's when we do the basic weapon firing, any 34 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 2: submarine warfare, any ship, missile defense, constablity operations boardings. So 35 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 2: we do that and then yesterday we've had a pause 36 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 2: or what we would call a pause X where we 37 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: will get the ships to goe to anchor over night 38 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 2: and then we'll start a free pay war X today 39 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 2: where they'll do more complex any submarine warfare, maritime strike, 40 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 2: and air defense activities. 41 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: Tell me about some of these vessels as well, because 42 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: I guess, you know, we can't see a huge amount, 43 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: particularly the submarine. How big are we talking here? 44 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 2: So our Collins class submarine is off the top I 45 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 2: had is about three thousand ton. It's actually one of 46 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 2: the biggest conventional submarines in the entire world. So it's 47 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 2: a big submarine, but it's a very capable platform. We 48 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 2: have vessels such as the Fiji patrol boat, which is 49 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 2: a a patrol boat about five or six hundred ton, 50 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 2: and then we go through to our own Hobark class destroyers, 51 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 2: which is a highly capable their warfare destroyers. But the 52 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 2: really great thing about Kakadoo is that we've got all 53 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 2: these regional partners with their capabilities, and there's some serious, 54 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 2: serious capabilities and seriously good looking ships out there. So 55 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 2: the ships in the Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, United States, 56 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 2: they've all got their own capabilities and something to be 57 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 2: seen and enjoyed. 58 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: Is there anywhere that the general public can sort of 59 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: see them from or not? 60 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 2: Really? It's not really. Unfortunately the ships will come back 61 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 2: alongside for just a couple of days. There'll be a 62 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 2: couple of guys out at anchor. There'll be some guys 63 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 2: at Fortill Wealth, and I think we've got some east 64 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 2: arm so as you know, there's no public access to 65 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 2: those ports. And with the guys at anchor, we really 66 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 2: do like to have people not come too close because 67 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 2: it makes people feel nervous when there's small boats approaching 68 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 2: a ship at anchor, particularly when it's warship hey with them. 69 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: With a vessel like the submarine, how many people are 70 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: on that vessel at any one time. 71 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 2: I think the corona of cons class submarine is in 72 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 2: the order of sixty sixty four people. 73 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: And is that like, you know, for a person like 74 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: me who's never been on a submarine, what is it like? 75 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 2: You know? 76 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: Can they do everything like you normally would be able to. 77 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 1: I'm assuming that there's cooking facilities and all that kind 78 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: of thing, like in a. 79 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 2: Submarine is a little cramped, but yes, they absolutely have. 80 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 2: They have their own galleys, they have their messes. I 81 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: don't even think they're hot bunk anymore, which is awesome 82 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 2: because of the older submarines they used to share bunks. 83 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 2: Yeah right, so roll out your sleeping bag, get in, 84 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 2: roll your sleeping bag up, and the next guy gets 85 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 2: into your bunk. But that's all gone. That's old world. 86 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 2: The New World has got a very complex and capable platform. 87 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 1: Yeah wow, it's look, I think it's such an interesting life. Now, 88 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: what countries are taking part in this exercise? 89 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 2: Well, there's over twenty four countries and exercise Kakadoo. If 90 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 2: you include the Fleet Commander's conference, it gets up to 91 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 2: about thirty five And basically you will see people from 92 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 2: Northern Europe, Germany, Norway, Belgium through to the Middle East, 93 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 2: Arab Embrates, Pakistan, India, through Asia, the Southwest Pacific right 94 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:47,480 Speaker 2: over to the Americas. We've got United States and Chilean 95 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 2: folks and pete. 96 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: How is this going to sort of you know, how 97 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,840 Speaker 1: does it benefit Australia's defense capabilities by having an exercise. 98 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 2: Like this one. Well, we're getting people together, right, So 99 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 2: we we've got folks from all over the worlds I 100 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 2: just mentioned, and we're all working together with a common 101 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 2: purpose and we're learning to communicate, exchange information, exchange data 102 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 2: and operate together and enhance our own skills in warfare. 103 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: Now just on a very different note, But I understand 104 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: that there's been some changes to the naming of the warships. 105 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 2: Yes, indeed, so the direction came out a couple of 106 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 2: days ago that we will now refer to our warships 107 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 2: as His Majesty's Austraian Warship, and we will go through 108 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 2: the transition of all of our bits and pieces that 109 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 2: have gone from having a queen to a king in 110 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 2: good order, in the appropriate manner. 111 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, is there a huge amount of change or is 112 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: it not? You know, is it not too much change? 113 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: I guess when it comes to doing. 114 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 2: That, actually there will be a little bit of change. 115 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 2: So the obvious one is Her Majesty's Warship to His 116 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 2: Majesty's Warship. But it's the things like the crowns on 117 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 2: the cress they are different for a king vice a queen. 118 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 2: Buttons and just bits and pieces all over the place 119 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 2: with signage and so forth. But that'll be done in 120 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 2: the measured manner. It's not like we're going to rush 121 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 2: out and spend lots of money straight up. 122 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:10,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it is one of those things that is 123 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: going to need to change. But yeah, little things that 124 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: a lot of you know, a lot of us probably 125 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: wouldn't have even thought. 126 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 2: Of absolutely, and I'm sure if we drawed into it, 127 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 2: there'll be many things that we will change. 128 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: But in due course, yeah, hey, how much longer is 129 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: the exercise on? For? 130 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:26,039 Speaker 2: So Kakado will complete on Saturday, We'll have our closing 131 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 2: ceremony on Saturday night, and then ships will start to 132 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 2: sail to their home ports on the Sunday or in 133 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:32,559 Speaker 2: the following days. 134 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 1: Well head of Exercise Kakadoo, Captain Pete Bartlet, we really 135 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: appreciate your time this morning. Thanks so much for coming 136 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: in and telling us a little bit more about it. 137 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 2: Thank you, Katie. I'm really welcome the opportunity to speak 138 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 2: to you and your listeners about Exercise Cacado. 139 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: No laurries at all, Thank you, Thanks for your time.