Bersama Warrior 25 showcases U.S. joint operations abroad

24 June 2025

From 1st Lt. Samuel DeRobertis, Marine Rotational Force - Darwin

KUANTAN (TANJONG GELANG), Malaysia — U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps personnel are working side by side in Bersama Warrior 25, a bilateral staff exercise held in Kuantan, Malaysia, designed to enhance interoperability between the United States and Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).

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Members of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marine Corps pose for a group photo at the Joint Warfighting Center, Kuantan, Malaysia, June 23, 2025. Bersama Warrior is an annual, bilateral joint exercise sponsored by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and hosted by the Malaysian Armed Forces. This year marks the 11th iteration of the exercise, and the first time MRF-D is participating, enhancing U.S. and Malaysian defense readiness and improving combined joint interoperability. MRF-D is an annual six-month rotational deployment to enhance interoperability with the Australian Defence Force and allies and partners and provide a forward postured crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Samuel DeRobertis)

Members of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marine Corps conduct planning at the Joint Warfighting Center, Kuantan, Malaysia, June 23, 2025. Bersama Warrior is an annual, bilateral joint exercise sponsored by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and hosted by the Malaysian Armed Forces. This year marks the 11th iteration of the exercise, and the first time MRF-D is participating, enhancing U.S. and Malaysian defense readiness and improving combined joint interoperability. MRF-D is an annual six-month rotational deployment to enhance interoperability with the Australian Defence Force and allies and partners and provide a forward postured crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Samuel DeRobertis)

The exercise brings together service members from across the joint force to work together alongside their MAF counterparts, underscoring the importance of integrated planning in today’s complex security environment.

“It’s been very advantageous to work alongside the other U.S. branches in addition to members of the Malaysian Armed Forces,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Kevin Haptonstall, a targeting and intelligence officer with the 194th Intelligence Squadron. “In environments like this, we look beyond service-specific expertise. The priority is coming together to build a cohesive, capable staff.”

Exercise participants are focusing on planning and coordination across a range of mission sets, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, amphibious operations, and joint fires integration. The joint U.S. force contributes a wide array of operational perspectives that support shared objectives with the MAF.

“This level of integration gives us a more complete picture of what joint operations would look like in the region,” said 1st Lt. Victor Monterroso, an assistant operations officer with Combat Logistics Battalion 1, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3. “It’s valuable to see how each service brings unique capabilities to the table.”

Bersama Warrior 25 also serves as a key venue for building theater security cooperation, strengthening long-standing U.S.-Malaysia defense ties, and reinforcing a free and open Indo-Pacific.

By operating as a unified team, U.S. forces are both enhancing their interoperability with Malaysian partners and refining the ability to plan, communicate, and execute as a single joint force.