Explanation

Exercise Kakadu 2022 commenced in Australia’s Darwin on September 12, 2022. The Exercise Kakadu 2022 (KA22) is a multinational exercise hosted by the Australian Navy in Darwin – the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory. It will be held from September 12 to 24 this year by the Royal Australian Navy with the support from the Royal Australian Air Force. This two-week long biennial maritime exercise brings together around 3,000 personnel, 15 warships and more than 30 aircraft from 22 countries. The inaugural edition of the Exercise Kakadu was held in 1993. Over the past 3 decades, countries that have participated in this exercise are Singapore, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Japan, South Korea, France, India, Pakistan, Brunei, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Hong Kong (UK), Canada, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam, Fiji, US, UAE, Cook Islands, Sri Lanka, Chile, China and Vanuatu. The KA22 kicked off less than a week after the conclusion of Exercise Pitch Black – a biennial exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). It featured 100 aircraft and 2,500 military personnel from 17 countries. Exercise Pitch Black 2022 witnessed the largest international contingent for the first time, with the involvement of Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, the UK, and the USA.