Australia hosted the inaugural Five Power Defence Arrangements roundtable discussion, which provided a chance to discuss the challenges each force faces and future training opportunities.
The FPDA roundtable, held near the end of the three-week Talisman Sabre 2025 military exercise, was attended by chiefs of joint operations from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
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At the roundtable, Air Vice Marshal Nathan Christie, commander of Headquarters Integrated Area Defence System under FPDA, provided the officials updates on the improvement of conventional high-end warfare and building maritime security, counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance and defensive cyber capabilities.
The discussion ended with the five chiefs expressing their commitment to FPDA and the significance of interoperability in maintaining regional stability.
Vice Adm. Justin Jones, Australia’s chief of joint operations, emphasized the importance of having a platform with which to discuss “the challenges we face, the future of the FPDA, exercises such as the Bersama series and what we want to achieve out of those exercises.”
The FPDA was established in November 1971 to provide a framework for consultation, cooperation and mutual defense among its five members in the event of external threats or armed attacks against Malaysia or Singapore.