Australian and Indonesian Forces Are Conducting Exercise Keris Woomera 26 in East Java from October 12 to 20

Australia·Indonesia

Australia's Department of Defence said on October 13, 2026, that Australian and Indonesian forces would conduct Exercise Keris Woomera 26 in East Java, Indonesia, from October 12 to 20. According to the department, about 1,000 Australian soldiers, sailors, and aviators would take part in amphibious warfare activities, integration training, and a live-fire exercise with more than 1,200 members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. Those participation figures follow the Australian department announcement. No jointly confirmed final participant list was carried in the announcement.

A media release on the same exercise issued on October 13 by the Australian Embassy in Indonesia put Indonesian participation at 1,235. The two documents cover the same exercise: the Defence article says more than 1,200 and the embassy release gives 1,235. Both documents put Australian participation at about 1,000.

The Department of Defence official X account posted on October 13 that Exercise Keris Woomera 2026 was underway, bringing together more than 2,200 Australian and Indonesian military personnel. The account said about 1,000 Australian personnel would engage in amphibious, integration, and live-fire training with more than 1,200 Indonesian personnel.

https://x.com/DefenceAust/status/2110128447242621234

The department said the opening ceremony was held aboard HMAS Choules in Banyuwangi, a port town in East Java, where senior military leaders from both countries exchanged cultural artefacts. Choules carried the embarked Australian Amphibious Force, and HMA Ships Perth and Stalwart also took part in the task group, according to the department.

Nearly 300 Australians Embarked as 80 Indonesian Marines Joined

According to the department, almost 300 Australian soldiers from 2RAR, an infantry battalion based in Townsville, were part of the Australian Amphibious Force embarked in HMAS Choules for high-end warfighting and amphibious combat training. More than 80 Indonesian marines would embark in HMAS Choules during the exercise to integrate with their 2RAR counterparts. That figure of more than 80 is a shipboard integration number recorded separately from the overall Indonesian participation figure.