The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is to participate in a major military exercise with the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy in Malaysia.

Exercise Bersama Padu 2010 is a three-week exercise staged as part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements.

Wing Commander Robinson said Bersama Padu is an important training exercise for all three arms of the Australian Defence Force.

“For the RAAF, it allows us to practise our flying skills in an unfamiliar and challenging environment,” Robinson said.

“The exercise also provides participants with high-complexity air combat training opportunities, and allows us to test and practise our deployment capabilities away from our home base.”

The RAAF will deploy eight F/A-18s from No 3 Squadron RAAF Williamtown NSW for the exercise.