Marines Expand Regional Training Across Indo-Pacific

Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) 25.3 has begun its 14th Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) rotation, with elements operating simultaneously in northern Australia and Mindanao, Philippines. While the majority of the force assembled in Darwin, a ground combat element deployed directly from Camp Pendleton to the Philippines to participate in Marine Exercise Philippines (MAREX) 25 with the Philippine Marine Corps.

MAREX 25 includes subject matter expert exchanges, combat marksmanship training, jungle survival instruction and opportunities for U.S. and Philippine Marines to engage with local communities in Mindanao. The exercise will culminate in the execution of a full mission profile – a realistic, end-to-end training scenario replicating all phases of a military operation. It is designed to closely simulate the conditions Marines might face in real world combat environments. Successfully completing this full mission profile alongside the PMC will ensure combined readiness across a broad range of future potential missions.

MRF-D 25.3 will also support Balikatan 25, a large-scale multinational exercise, while rehearsing disaster response operations in New Caledonia and conducting reconnaissance in Papua New Guinea.

This rotation demonstrates the MAGTF’s ability to coordinate complex operations across thousands of miles, enhancing regional partnerships and supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific.