U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26, clear vegetation at Townsville Field Training Area, Australia, May 26, 2026. MRF-D is a six-month forward deployment in Australia that strengthens combined interoperability with the Australian Defence Force and provides rapid crisis-response options for the joint force across the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kyle Chan)

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U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26, receive a brief about exercise Southern Jackaroo at Townsville Field Training Area, Australia, May 27, 2026. MRF-D is a six-month forward deployment in Australia that strengthens combined interoperability with the Australian Defence Force and provides rapid crisis-response options for the joint force across the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kyle Chan)

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Throughout the exercise, U.S. Marines and Sailors assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and Combat Logistics Battalion 5, both with Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26, will work alongside the Australian Defence Force’s 3rd Brigade, as well as maneuver elements from the U.S. Army and Japan Self Defense Force.

The primary focus of this year's exercise is interoperability advancement. By actively aligning communications, tactics, and procedures during rigorous field training, participating nations are eliminating friction points and building a seamless allied force. This integration ensures that U.S., Australian and Japanese forces are ready to respond to regional challenges as a unified front in any future crisis.

In addition to interoperability, Southern Jackaroo 2026 is designed to test and prove combined arms integration. Participating forces will execute a demanding progression of training, including force-on-force offensive and defensive operations, mounted machine-gun gunnery, and mortar employment.

Through these coordinated live-fire attacks and mounted maneuvers, multinational forces will demonstrate their ability to synchronize fires, maneuver, and effects to achieve a distinct and decisive battlefield advantage. The exercise will culminate in a multi-national combined arms live-fire exercise.

"Exercise Southern Jackaroo enhances our collective capability by integrating U.S. Marines alongside our allies in realistic, demanding scenarios," said Lt. Col. Mark Saville, commanding officer of 1st Bn., 5th Marines. "By practicing how we communicate and work together on the ground, we ensure that our combined forces maintain a high state of combat readiness and a decisive tactical edge."

Exercise Southern Jackaroo 2026 brings together U.S. Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers, the Australian Defence Force and Japan Self Defense Force for a month-long, multi-national training event. The exercise focuses on advancing combined arms integration and tactical interoperability through rigorous live-fire scenarios, ensuring these allied militaries can operate seamlessly as a unified front across the Indo-Pacific.