Three Royal Australian Navy ships and more than 600 Australian Defence Force personnel will arrive on a five-days visit to Tonga, later in the week.

The visit is to continue the work of Joint Task Group 637.3 in support of the Australian Government’s Pacific Step Up and Australia’s enduring Defence Cooperation Program. 

HMA Ships Adelaide, Melville and Larrakia and personnel will spend five-days in Nuku'alofa, working with His Majesty’s Armed Forces and locals to train and learn together, while enhancing existing relationships. 

Commander of the Joint Task Group, Colonel Kim Gilfillan, CSC said the Australians are looking forward to the port visit in Tonga. 

He said the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are pleased to be in Tonga again with a three-ship Task Unit and a significant number of embarked force personnel. 

"Australia values our strong shared history and enduring security partnership with Tonga and His Majesty’s Armed Forces. We look forward to working with the HMAF while in country."

In addition, there is much to be gained from further enhancing and deepening our existing relationships and people-to-people links, which we will strengthen through a number of engagement activities, he said.

Australian High Commissioner HE Adrian Morrison said Adelaide’s return to Nuku’alofa, after visiting in 2018, demonstrated Australia’s commitment to strengthening the already strong defence relationship between Tonga and Australia. 

“Defence ties between Australia and Tonga are a key component of our broader relationship and our Pacific Step Up. We are working with Tonga to support our mutual sovereignty, stability, security and prosperity."

Australia and Tonga share a strong relationship based on shared virtues of security, peace and prosperity for all nations in the Pacific. 

The ADF’s arrival in Tonga comes after a successful Operation RENDER SAFE in the Solomon Islands.