Over 3,000 Personnel Bolster Allied Readiness in Largest Southern Jackaroo Exercise

TOWNSVILLE, Australia – Military forces from the United States, Japan, and Australia recently concluded Exercise Southern Jackaroo 25, a significant trilateral training event held from May 25 to June 13, 2025, in Townsville, Queensland. This year's iteration marked the largest to date, involving over 3,000 participants, including U.S. Marines, Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) soldiers, aimed at enhancing interoperability and collective deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.

The exercise featured a range of intensive drills, from force-on-force engagements to live-fire artillery missions. U.S. Marines, including elements from Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) 25.3, conducted air assault operations utilizing MV-22B Ospreys, while artillery teams from all three nations synchronized fire missions. This comprehensive training tested the combined forces' ability to respond to complex scenarios and operate as a unified entity.

Major General Ash Collingburn, Commander of the 1st (Australian) Division, emphasized the critical nature of the joint training, stating, "Interoperability is not a buzzword – it is the difference between confusion and cohesion, between surviving and winning. Our strength in battle lies in our ability to fight together." The drills are a direct response to evolving regional dynamics, as highlighted in a recent social media post by Mario Nawfal, who stated, "> Each explosion sent a clear message across the Pacific: the allies are training not just to fight, but to fight together if China ever tests their resolve, because Beijing’s expanding navy, missile arsenal, and island bases threaten shipping lanes, challenge territorial claims, and rattle the region’s fragile balance of power."

Lieutenant Colonel Kazuhiro Nagayoshi, a training officer with the JGSDF, echoed the sentiment, noting that "Southern Jackaroo is a very important exercise to enhance cooperation between Japan, Australia, and the United States." The increased scale and complexity of the exercise underscore the commitment of the three nations to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, addressing shared security concerns through strengthened alliances and combined military capabilities.

The exercise serves as a tangible demonstration of the deepening defense ties among the U.S., Australia, and Japan, building upon recent trilateral defense ministers' meetings that have committed to expanding joint exercises and intelligence sharing. This collaborative approach aims to ensure that any challenge to regional stability will be met with a unified and formidable response.