Australian warship visits PH to boost burgeoning defense ties
The Australian warship HMAS Toowoomba arrived at the Subic Freeport over the weekend as part of a four-day port call to boost maritime cooperation and the burgeoning defense ties of the two nations.
According to the Philippine Navy, the Toowoomba, a guided missile frigate, arrived at Naval Operating Base Subic on Feb. 13 and is expected to leave on Feb. 16.
Philippine Fleet commander Rear Adm. Joe Anthony Orbe welcomed the Toowoomba’s port call and met with the warship’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Alicia Harrison, to discuss maritime cooperation and future joint activities, the Navy said in a statement.
Philippine and Australian personnel are conducting subject-matter exchanges aboard the vessel, including training on replenishment at sea and seaworthiness, key areas that support longer and more complex naval operations.
The Toowoomba (FFH 156) is an Anzac-class frigate designed for multirole operations, including air defense, surface and undersea warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction.
Named after the city of Toowoomba in Queensland, it is the second vessel to bear the name after the Bathurst-class corvette that was launched in 1941 and served in the Pacific and Indian Oceans during World War II.
The visit comes as Manila and Canberra deepen defense ties amid shared concerns over regional maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific.
Australia has been a regular participant in multilateral exercises with the Philippines and its allies, including maritime drills and humanitarian assistance operations.
Exercise Kakadu
The Navy said the activities in Subic are also intended to prepare both forces for the multinational Exercise Kakadu, a major naval exercise hosted by Australia that brings together regional and partner navies.
Exercise Kakadu 2026 is a biennial maritime exercise of the Royal Australian Navy meant to strengthen maritime security cooperation, enhance interoperability and build partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region.
The Philippine military has stepped up engagements with foreign navies in recent years as it pursues modernization and seeks to improve interoperability with allies and partners.
In late October 2025, Philippine and Australian naval forces participated in a multilateral maritime exercise in the West Philippine Sea with counterparts from the United States and New Zealand.
Philippine ships included BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), while Australia deployed HMAS Ballarat (FFH 155) in addition to the US destroyer Fitzgerald (DDG-62) and the New Zealand replenishment ship HMNZS Aotearoa.
The Philippine and Australian militaries also conducted “Exercise Amphibious and Land Operations” in August 2025, the largest and most complex iteration of the bilateral defense drill since its launch in 2023.
