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Speaker 1: Biggest ship, the HMAS Camber. It's leaving Darwin for the

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Speaker 1: Philippines today. Joining me on the line right now is

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Speaker 1: Darwin Air Commodore Tony McCormack. Good morning to you, Tony.

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Speaker 2: Good morning Katie.

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Speaker 1: How are you doing very well? Sorry we were having

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Speaker 1: a bit of a technical issue there. Now tell me

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Speaker 1: the Royal Australian Navy's biggest ship, the HMAS Camber, it's

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Speaker 1: leaving today for the Philippines. Tell us a little bit

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Speaker 1: more about this exercise.

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Speaker 2: Love. Thanks for having me on this morning, Katie, and

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Speaker 2: it's great to be able to talk to you about

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Speaker 2: Indo Pacificate DEVA twenty twenty three. Indo Pacific Endeavor is

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Speaker 2: we started it in twenty seventeen and it's an activity

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Speaker 2: we do and it's our premier regional engagement activity where

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Speaker 2: we work with fourteen countries. And today is the beginning

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Speaker 2: of our bilateral phases the Philippines. And today what we'll

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Speaker 2: be doing is MAUS Camberra will be sailing and barks

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Speaker 2: got on board straining Defence Force personnel from all three

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Speaker 2: services and it's got Philippine Philippine personnel and some US

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Speaker 2: Marines as well and it'll be joined tomorrow by Hma

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Speaker 2: Sanzak as they sail north to the Philippines as the

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Speaker 2: conduction and amphibious exercise.

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Speaker 1: It sounds like it's going to be massive. Talk us

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Speaker 1: through some of that complex training that does take place.

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Speaker 2: Well, we've been working for over twelve months to plan

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Speaker 2: and prepare for this, and so yes, it's quite a

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Speaker 2: complex activity we'll be doing. So when we go to

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Speaker 2: the Philippines, we'll be conducting some amphibious and follow on

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Speaker 2: land operations. We'll also be doing some live fire activities

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Speaker 2: with artillery and some helicopters, and of course we're doing

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Speaker 2: it some other joint training as well. So yes, it's

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Speaker 2: been a long time in the planning. It's a complex evolution,

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Speaker 2: but I can tell you everybody is excited to be

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Speaker 2: part of it and they're up to the job. Yeah.

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Speaker 1: What is that feeling as everybody gets ready to head

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Speaker 1: off for the Philippines. Is it a sense of excitement

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Speaker 1: or how do you guys feel?

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Speaker 2: Oh? Yes, you can just feel the buzzing of all

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Speaker 2: the personnel on both ships. There's excitement levels there. Our

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Speaker 2: Philippine compatriots have been working hard the last couple of

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Speaker 2: days to prepare themselves. They've been integrating with the Australians

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Speaker 2: and it is just a pleasure to see. And I

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Speaker 2: can tell you you can pass this on as well

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Speaker 2: as these about thirteen hundred Matilda's fans on board as well.

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Speaker 1: Oh how good was that game on the weekend?

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Speaker 2: Well, it was really good to watch all the Australians

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Speaker 2: and the Filipinos sitting down having a barbecue and a

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Speaker 2: beer together, cheering on the mafielders.

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Speaker 1: Are they going to be able to watch on Wednesday

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Speaker 1: night once this exercise gets underway?

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Speaker 2: Now, unfortunately they'll be working, but I can tell you

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Speaker 2: they'll be following the resultant closer.

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Speaker 1: I reckon they will be Hey, Tony, talk us through

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Speaker 1: what kind of you know, what kind of machinery or

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Speaker 1: what kind of equipment and you know, the aircraft and

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Speaker 1: that kind of thing that is going to be.

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Speaker 2: Well. Embarked on h May and Canbra We've got some

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Speaker 2: of the MB twenty two ospreys from the US Marine Corps.

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Speaker 2: We've also got a Seahawk calicopter embarked on Canberra and

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Speaker 2: another Seahawk embarked on H May and Sansak, And of

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Speaker 2: course we've got all the Landforces equipment as well, which

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Speaker 2: are armored vehicles, tanks and earth moving machinery, et cetera,

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Speaker 2: so that they can conduct their amphibious exercise in the Philippines.

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Speaker 1: And really, what is the aim of the exercise.

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Speaker 2: Indo Pacific Endeavor. It demonstrates Australia's commitment to working with

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Speaker 2: our friends and partners right across the region and it's

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Speaker 2: so that we can ensure a region that is peaceful,

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Speaker 2: secure and prosperous that everyone's live in.

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Speaker 1: Well, I'll tell you what it sounds like. It's going

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Speaker 1: to be a busy time for you guys. How long

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Speaker 1: is it going to run for?

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Speaker 2: Well, we we should finish Exercise Aline in the Philippines

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Speaker 2: towards the end of the month and then the ships

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Speaker 2: will return to Australia. Indo Pacific Endeavor itself. We're working

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Speaker 2: with fourteen countries India at the end of June with

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Speaker 2: a p to side and visits and as no stranger

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Speaker 2: to visiting the territory here and we'll be finishing off

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Speaker 2: at the end of October. So yes, we've got still

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Speaker 2: two busy months ago.

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Speaker 1: Well Tony McCormack, Darwin Air Commodore, it sounds as though

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Speaker 1: you're going to be incredibly busy. Everybody's going to be

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Speaker 1: incredibly busy, and we really appreciate you having a chat

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Speaker 1: with us this morning. Stay safe and look after yourselves,

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Speaker 1: and thanks.

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Speaker 2: Katie for having me on it. And please thanks to

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Speaker 2: all the people of the territory. You make it so

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Speaker 2: welcome when we come up here to exercise. We just

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Speaker 2: love it. It's a perfect time of year and this

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Speaker 2: is a great opportunity for us to work with our

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Speaker 2: friends and partners in the region about peace, security and prosperity.

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Speaker 2: So thanks very much and we'll see you when we're done.

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Speaker 1: Wonderful stuff. Thank you so much, Tony,