US, Indonesian Marines Strengthen Ties in Keris MAREX 2024

This 19 November, nearly 600 Marines from the U.S. Marine Corps’ Marine Rotational Force - Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA) and the Indonesian Marine Corps (KORMAR) concluded the successful Keris Marine Exercise (MAREX) 2024 with a ceremony aboard Yonif 10 Marinir in Batam. This annual bilateral exercise enhances military interoperability, strengthens partnerships, and contributes to regional security within the Indo-Pacific.

Keris MAREX 2024 took place in two phases, with activities conducted on Batam and Singkep islands. In Batam, U.S. and Indonesian Marines participated in expert-led exchanges and training, which included mortar and machine gun ranges, jungle survival tactics, and staff-level planning integration. This phase focused on fostering closer ties between the two forces while increasing operational readiness.

A significant component of the exercise was the development of a comprehensive coastal defense plan. Senior staff members from MRF-SEA and the 10th KORMAR collaborated to create operational plans to repel a simulated amphibious enemy landing on Singkep Island. This planning exchange, known as STAFFEX, enabled both nations to better understand each other’s military planning processes and strengthen their ability to execute complex operations together.

"The 10th KORMAR’s proficiency and professionalism to work through a complicated, bilateral operational plan that could be transitioned to subordinate units for execution, ensured that our staffs would be able to cohesively plan and operate together in real world contingency and crisis situations," said U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Thomas Vallely, operations officer for MRF-SEA. "Their staff planning process, coupled with key KORMAR leaders that have been to U.S. Marine Corps professional military educational schools, created an outsized effect on our integration and greatly enhanced the experience for both units."

The exercise also saw historic developments in military training. For the first time, Indonesian Marines trained with drones to observe and adjust mortar fire, a critical advancement in modern indirect fire techniques. U.S. Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, attached to MRF-SEA, also participated in combat patrolling, ambush tactics, casualty evacuations, and combat marksmanship training alongside their KORMAR counterparts.

Keris MAREX 2024 solidified the U.S.-Indonesia military relationship, enhancing operational readiness and fostering deeper cooperation for regional stability and security.