As artillery rounds thundered across the training area and infantry advanced through a maze of obstacles towards enemy trench systems, soldiers from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) and the 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (8/9 RAR) strengthened a partnership built on shared professionalism, trust and combat readiness during Exercise Diamond Dagger.
Conducted throughout May and June as part of 7th Brigade’s training cycle, Exercise Diamond Dagger brought together combined-arms elements in a demanding live-fire environment designed to prepare soldiers for the realities of modern warfare.
The RFMF Daimani Company, embedded within 8/9 RAR, undertook a deliberate and progressive training program leading into the exercise. The contingent first completed training that culminated in achieving Army Training Level (ATL) 2 Section Live Fire certification before progressing to platoon-level blank-fire manoeuvre activities designed to build confidence, cohesion and collective proficiency.
This progression laid the foundation for increasingly complex training serials during Diamond Dagger. Operating alongside soldiers from 8/9 RAR, the Fijian contingent successfully achieved ATL 3 Platoon Live Fire certification during a trench-clearance activity before participating in ATL 5 Combat Team Live Fire trench-clearance operations.
The achievement represented a significant milestone for the integrated force, demonstrating both the effectiveness of the partnership between the two militaries and the professionalism of the soldiers involved.
Supported by a range of battlefield operating systems, combat teams integrated infantry manoeuvre with direct-fire support weapons, artillery effects and Protected Mobility Vehicle-Medium (PMV-M) Bushmaster support to conduct realistic offensive operations. The integration of fire support, manoeuvre and protected mobility enabled soldiers to rehearse the coordination required in contemporary combat environments.
Exercise Diamond Dagger formed part of 7th Brigade’s broader mission to generate and assure combat-ready forces. Commander 7th Brigade, Brigadier Jennifer Harris, said the exercise brought together teams that had spent the year developing live-fire proficiency within their respective trades.
“Exercise Diamond Dagger brings those smaller teams together, demonstrating and practising potent combined-arms warfighting effects at a larger scale,” Brigadier Harris said. She also welcomed the opportunity to train alongside the integrated RFMF contingent, highlighting the importance of regional partnerships and interoperability.
Designed to expose soldiers to realistic levels of stress and battlefield complexity, the exercise challenged participants to operate effectively amid noise, confusion and rapidly evolving tactical situations. Infantry, engineers, artillery and supporting combat elements were required to synchronise their actions while maintaining both safety and combat effectiveness. The exercise also provided an opportunity to employ emerging capabilities, including tactical unmanned aerial systems and counter-unmanned aerial system technologies, reflecting the Australian Army’s continued adaptation to the evolving character of warfare.
For the soldiers of 8/9 RAR and the RFMF Daimani Company however, the most significant outcome was the successful execution of live-fire combined-arms operations as a single, integrated team. By progressing through increasingly demanding training serials and ultimately conducting combat team trench-clearance operations under live-fire conditions, the integrated force demonstrated not only tactical proficiency and combat readiness, but also the enduring value of strong regional military partnerships.
As Exercise Diamond Dagger concluded, soldiers departed with enhanced warfighting skills, greater confidence in combined-arms operations and a deeper appreciation of what can be achieved through realistic training, mutual trust and the ability to fight and win together.
Lieutenant Oliver Cooke
