The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) are conducting an eight-day bilateral maritime exercise, Exercise Singaroo, in the Northern Australian Exercise Area off Darwin from 4 to 8 September and 25 to 27 September 2016. The RSN will also participate in the biennial multilateral Exercise Kakadu hosted by the RAN from 12 to 24 September 2016.  

This year's Exercise Singaroo is the 18th in the series held since 1995, and was jointly officiated by Commander of the RSN's First Flotilla and Commanding Officer of the RSN's Missile Corvette Squadron Colonel (COL) Ong Chee Wei, and RAN Deputy Director Maritime Plans Commander Samuel Woolrych on 5 September 2016. The RSN is participating with two Victory-class missile corvettes, RSS Vigour and RSS Valiant, embarked with ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and a maritime patrol aircraft while the RAN is deploying one Adelaide-class frigate, HMAS Newcastle, and two Armidale-class patrol boats, HMAS Albany and HMAS Maryborough.

During the sea phase, participating ships and air assets will conduct naval surface warfare serials, ship boarding, communication exercises and gunnery firings. With the ability to provide constant localised surveillance and identification of threats, the inaugural participation of the ScanEagle UAVs in an overseas exercise will also enhance the complexity of the exercise play.

During the opening ceremony, COL Ong said "Exercise Singaroo has provided the RSN and the RAN with the opportunity to deepen professional sharing and strengthen friendships. The exercise allows both navies to learn from one another and to test the high level of interoperability that we have built over the years."

Australia and Singapore share a close and long-standing defence relationship which was further strengthened under the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) adopted in June 2015 by the Prime Ministers of Singapore and Australia. Exercise Singaroo is one of the many bilateral military interactions between the Singapore Armed Forces and the Australian Defence Force. Apart from bilateral and multilateral exercises, both armed forces also interact frequently through high-level visits, professional exchanges and military courses.