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True comradeship was on full display today as 129 RFMF personnel trained with their Australian counterparts, learning from one another with mutual respect and shared purpose.
At the heart of the renewed and elevated Vuvale Partnership, this bond reflects our deep commitment to standing together and moving forward as one family.
Prime Minister Honourable Sitiveni Rabuka and his delegation witnessed this display of comradeship while visiting the RFMF personnel at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Central Queensland, Australia.
The RFMF personnel are currently engaged in a five months training under the Talisman Sabre 2025, the largest combined military exercise by the Australian Defence Force involving 30,000 military personnel from 19 nations.
Participating partner nations include the US, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, Papua New Guinea to name some.
The RFMF’s engagement is part of ongoing military cooperation between Fiji and Australia and includes joint training exercises aimed at enhancing interoperability, sharing tactical knowledge, and strengthening regional security ties.
Prime Minister Rabuka expressed gratitude to Australia for its continued support in the area of defence and security.
To the Fijian Company, he underscored the importance of service, loyalty and professionalism, and wished them well in their training.
“By training, exercising and deploying together, Fiji and Australia are improving our combined capability, capacity and interoperability. Our shared commitment to this rotational company pilot demonstrates our close ties built on mutual interests and purpose.”
The RFMF contingent is part of a rotational company pilot, the first of its kind with any Pacific Defence Force. The pilot will inform options for potential future cooperation models.
The arrangement enables ADF and RFMF personnel to integrate, collaborate and build collective capacity prior to conducting a series of combined exercises at Talisman Sabre 2025.
During the visit, the Fiji delegation also observed firsthand a live demonstration of an offensive training phase.
Within the goals of Talisman Sabre, the ability to stand together and be able to count on each other in the face of mounting challenges and times of adversity are at the very centre of the Vuvale Partnership.
Accompanying the Prime Minister are the Minister for Defence and Veterans Affairs Hon. Pio Tikoduadua, Minister for Policing Hon. Ioane Naivalurua, Minister for Immigration Hon. Viliame Naupoto, Permanent Secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister Dr Lesi Korovavala, Permanent Secretary for Civil Service and Public Enterprises Mr Amena Yauvoli and RFMF Deputy Commander, Commodore Humphrey Tawake.
