FPDA Defence Chiefs Celebrate 45 Years of Friendship and Close Defence Ties

The Defence Chiefs of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) member nations are in Singapore for the FPDA 45th Anniversary Celebrations, which will mark 45 years of commitment and cooperation among member nations. 
 
As part of the FPDA's 45th Anniversary celebrations, Singapore's Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Lieutenant-General (LG) Perry Lim hosted Australia's CDF Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Mark Binskin, New Zealand's CDF LG Timothy Keating, the United Kingdom's Vice Chief of the Defence Staff GEN Sir Gordon Messenger and Malaysia's Joint Force Commander LG Dato' Fadzil Bin Mokhtar to a celebratory dinner on 5 October. At the dinner, the FPDA Defence Chiefs agreed on the importance and continued relevance of the FPDA as a collaborative platform that supports regional security.
 
This morning, LG Perry Lim, ACM Binskin, Malaysia's CDF GEN Tan Sri Dato' Sri (Dr) Zulkifeli bin Mohd Zin, GEN Messenger and New Zealand's Assistant Chief of Strategic Commitment and Engagement, Brigadier John Boswell visited the Kranji War Memorial, where they laid wreaths to commemorate the soldiers of different nationalities -- from Australia, Malaya, New Zealand and the United Kingdom -- who had fought and died for the external defence of Malaya in the 1940s. 
 
Thereafter, the Defence Chiefs attended the opening ceremony of Exercise Bersama Lima 2016 at Changi Naval Base. The exercise, which will end on 21 October 2016, is a major FPDA exercise involving one submarine, 11 ships, 71 aircraft, and five Ground-Based Air Defence units, four land platoons and three dive teams from the five FPDA nations. Such exercises provide the armed forces of the FPDA member nations with a valuable platform to enhance interoperability and military cooperation. 
 
The Defence Chiefs also met with Singapore's Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen over breakfast earlier today.
 
Since the FPDA's formation in 1971, FPDA activities have expanded in scope and increased in complexity. The ability to adapt to the changing regional security environment has enabled the FPDA to remain relevant. The FPDA is even more important now than it was before, and continues to be an integral part of an inclusive regional security architecture.

Quotes from the FPDA Defence Chiefs or their representatives

"Being here at Kranji (War Memorial) this morning is quite humbling to commemorate all those that fell in the defence of Singapore and Malaya in the Second World War. And if I take this memory and move it forward, 45 years of FPDA -- it is as relevant now as it was then when it was formed. Australia continues to be committed to FPDA and everything it stands for in the defence of Malaya and Singapore, it is a defensive arrangement, and it is a chance for us to operate together, to train together, exercise together, to increase our interoperability and our skills and our tech abilities."
- Australian's CDF ACM Mark Binskin

"I'm happy to see that the FPDA has grown from strength to strength. I think this year, the FPDA is at its strongest in terms of commitment from all the member states, and we are very happy with the support and commitment that has been given by our friends from the United Kingdom (UK), Australia and from New Zealand in terms of their participation in all of the FPDA activities, especially in the Bersama Lima exercise which we will launch later today. And I strongly believe that as over the years, the FPDA has grown, and as far as other aspects of security, especially so in terms of non-traditional threats and challenges."
- Malaysian's CDF GEN Zulkifeli

"The FPDA is a natural formation of this shared history. So it's something that we are totally committed to, to continue with this arrangement. It's a defensive arrangement and it's also a very good collaborative platform for all five member countries to come together to share professional knowledge, and I think at this FPDA Defence Chiefs' Conference, on the 45th anniversary of the FPDA, we've made a commitment to bring it forward and to grow it from strength to strength."
- Singapore's CDF LG Perry Lim

"I think history matters, and I think being here teaches us that history binds us in a way that will never be forgotten. I think that what you see here is a symbol of solidarity, of common sacrifice to unified goals. And I think if you take that on many many years, what you see here on the 45th anniversary of the FPDA is exactly those principles of solidarity, partnership and comradeship. And we look forward to committing the UK to that partnership for many, many years to come."
- United Kingdom's Vice Chief of the Defence Staff GEN Messenger

"I think that the 45th anniversary is a very clear indication of just how strong, how relevant and how important the relationship is between the five nations of the members of the FPDA, and how enduring that relationship is, and how appropriate it is as we look to the future for the next 45 years."
- New Zealand's Assistant Chief of Strategic Commitment and Engagement Brigadier John Boswell