The 2022 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) have departed Australia, bringing an end to the 11th annual rotation of United States Marines Corps (USMC) through the Northern Territory. As part of this year’s rotation, approximately 2,200 US military personnel trained with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and other regional partners on humanitarian aid and crises response exercises.
Commander Headquarters Northern Command Colonel Marcus Constable said the MRF-D remains a key part of the Australia – US alliance. “The Alliance is our most important defence relationship and is central to Australia’s strategic and security arrangements,” he said. “The MRF-D focuses on increasing regional cooperation with partners in the Indo–Pacific and deepening interoperability between the ADF and the USMC. This year we conducted a range of training activities, including humanitarian assistance, security operations and live-fire, which better position our forces to respond to crises in the region.”
MRF-D Commanding Officer and regimental commander for the historic 5th Marine Regiment, Colonel Chris Steele, said the US and Australia were committed to ensuring a secure, stable, and inclusive Indo-Pacific alongside their partners in the region. “This year our marines and sailors participated in over a dozen multinational exercises and events, enhancing our partnerships with over 20 different nations, including great teammates like Australia, Indonesia, and Japan,” Steele said. “Serving as the first regimental headquarters to lead MRF-D, we were able to further integrate two highly capable and interoperable forces, to demonstrate the strength and endurance of our alliance and posture the team to contribute to regional security.”
MRF-D 2023 is expected to begin in March next year. MRF-D is one of the United States Force Posture Initiatives, alongside an expanded program of Enhanced Air, Land, Maritime, Theatre Logistics, Space and Cyber co-operation, being coordinated between the respective Services.
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