DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT Phone: 02 6265 3343, Fax: 02 62656946 MSPA 292/08 Monday, 8 September 2008 JAPANESE ORIONS ARRIVE IN ADELAIDE FOR GOODWILL VISIT Two Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) P-3C Orion aircraft have arrived at RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide to conduct a bilateral goodwill visit. This is the second Japanese P-3C visit to Australia and builds on previous bilateral P- 3C exchanges in Australia in May 2006 and in Japan in October 2007. The Japanese visit will provide a useful opportunity to further deepen unit-to-unit links and working exchanges between our countries’ Defence Forces. It will also provide an opportunity for a bilateral P-3C flying activity focussed on improving interoperability in the area of maritime surveillance and communications. All flying activities will take place off the coast of South Australia. Later this week, the Japanese aircraft will head to New Zealand to participate in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Exercise MARU and will make a brief stopover in Darwin on the way back to Japan. Japan is a close friend and key partner in the Asia Pacific region with whom we share democratic values and a range of mutual interests, such as our respective alliances with the United States. As long standing democracies and developed economies, we share an interest in working with Japan to maintain stability and security, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664 |