Naval and air force units from Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States conducted a multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone on 5 February 2025.
This included HMAS Hobart and a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
Australia's participation in MCAs with the Philippines underlines our commitment to regional and international cooperation in support of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Australia's participation supports the right to freedom of navigation and overflight under international law, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Strong cooperation and the ability to work together, demonstrated through activities such this, enhance our interoperability and readiness to respond to shared security challenges with partners.
HMAS Hobart participated in the MCA during a six-week Regional Presence Deployment (RPD). RPDs in the Indo-Pacific demonstrate Australia's commitment and ability to maintain a near continuous presence in the region to support regional security and stability.
