JUNE 24, 2025 – U.S. Marines and Sailors with the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) 25.3 Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) arrived in Townsville to train alongside the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) during Exercise Southern Jackaroo 25, a multi-lateral exercise held from May 25 through June 13, 2025 at the Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland, Australia.
This year marked the largest iteration of the exercise with over 3,000 total participants, to include more than 500 Marines and 300 Japanese soldiers. Additionally, for the first time, MRF-D brought the full capability of the MAGTF to include MV-22B Ospreys assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 363, the MAGTF aviation combat element (ACE).
The Marines arrived in Townsville and immediately maneuvered to the Townsville Field Training Area where they began the force-on-force portion of the exercise, also known as the North Queensland Warfighter Exercise (NQWFX). The Marines, organized as a task force, worked alongside the Australian 3rd Brigade and a task force of JGSDF soldiers to seize and clear key terrain within the bounds of a complex scenario. This portion tested the combined force’s ability to receive and execute constantly evolving mission sets and provide a unified response.
The MRF-D task force served as an air assault element, leveraging support from Ospreys to insert into an objective, secure it with Marines with the MAGTF ground combat element (GCE), and withdraw, setting conditions for the ADF and JGSDF to achieve their respective follow-on objectives. Everything in this evolution is dynamic, unscripted and challenges each country to tightly synchronize movements.
“The ethos of the Marine Corps is to be ready to fight in any clime and place. Our ability to train and build relationships with our partners and allies is crucial to that end and something we plan to continue.” Maj. Nicholas Foust, commanding officer of the MRF-D Southern Jackaroo task force
At the conclusion of the force-on-force portion, the MRF-D task force immediately transitioned to a live-fire portion consisting of two events: a defense with elements arranged along a forward line, demonstrating combined arms synchronization, followed by a reinforced platoon attack on an objective area using artillery, mortars, and mounted machine guns to enable a platoon to maneuver on an objective.
Meanwhile on the gunline, Marines with Kilo battery, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, MRF-D 25.3, as part of the task force, mixed with ADF artillerymen to conduct fire missions on Australian M777 A2 lightweight 155 mm howitzers next to Japanese artillery systems in a display of multinational fires-based interoperability.
“Interoperability is not a buzzword – it is the difference between confusion and cohesion, between surviving and winning,” said Commander, 1st (Australian) Division, Major General Ash Collingburn. “Our strength in battle lies in our ability to fight together.”
The JGSDF echoed that sentiment. “Southern Jackaroo is a very important exercise to enhance cooperation between Japan, Australia, and the United States,” said Lt. Col. Kazuhiro Nagayoshi, a training officer with the JGSDF. “We had lots of positive outcomes. We want to keep strengthening our cooperation in this area.”
Exercise Southern Jackaroo is a unique opportunity for the Marines of MRF-D to strengthen alliances and partnerships and ensure that U.S. Marines are forward-postured and ready to respond with allies across the Indo-Pacific. Through sustained engagements with multinational allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, MRF-D continues to serve as a stand-in force for readiness, interoperability, and stability in the region.
1st Lt. Samuel DeRobertis
Marine Rotational Force – Darwin