MRF-D 26 certified as Darwin’s first Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force

DARWIN, Northern Territory, Australia — U.S. Marines and Sailors with I and III Marine Expeditionary Forces have been certified as a Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force after completing final requirements in Balabac, Palawan, Philippines, on May 3, 2026. The milestone marks the first time since Marine Rotational Force–Darwin was established in 2011 that a rotation has earned the designation.

“Being the first rotation of MRF-D to be certified as an SPMAGTF is an incredible statement on the capability of the force,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. George Flynn, commanding officer of 5th Marine Regiment and MRF-D 26. “Achieving this milestone highlights our commitment as a crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific.”

The task force formed between October 2025 and January 2026 under the 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I MEF. Its certification pathway began during Exercise Steel Knight 25 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and other locations in the southwestern United States, even before the full team was assembled with Marines and Sailors from the III MEF Hawaii-based Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268, I MEF Information Group, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Logistics Group, and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

“Beginning with Steel Knight in southern California and culminating with Balikatan events on Palawan, our Marines and Sailors have put in a tremendous effort,” Flynn said. “The dedication, proficiency and resolve shown throughout this certification process reflect the standard we hold ourselves to as a postured and ready SPMAGTF.”

During Steel Knight, the team established distributed command-and-control nodes in California and Arizona and simulated long-distance movements comparable to the roughly 1,600 nautical miles from Darwin to the Philippines using MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and C-130J Super Hercules. Across multiple scenarios, they rehearsed embassy reinforcement, noncombatant evacuation operations in support of the Department of State, casualty evacuation and medical care, aviation node support, and expeditionary advanced base operations.

“They are our competitive advantage, and the lessons we learn together will enhance our collective ability to ensure a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he said.

After adding remaining elements in January, MRF-D 26 deployed in waves to Darwin in mid-March for the 15th rotation. Marines and Sailors took part in community engagements, including Anzac Day commemorations, and integrated with the Australian Defence Force through scenario-driven activities such as Wallaby Walk, where Combat Logistics Battalion 5 validated explosive ordnance disposal procedures. Marines from the Ground Combat Element, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, also traveled to New Caledonia for Tagata Toa 2026, a multinational combined arms exercise hosted by the French Armed Forces in New Caledonia.

Concurrently, Exercise Balikatan 2026 in the Philippines brought together forces from all U.S. services alongside Australia, Japan, Canada, and New Zealand for scenarios ranging from conventional warfare to foreign disaster response. MRF-D 26 supported a counter-landing live-fire event in Aporawan, Palawan, working with Australian and New Zealand soldiers to assist the Philippine Marine Corps 3rd Marine Brigade in repelling simulated enemy forces at Aporawan Beach.

Balikatan provided the venue to complete remaining certification tasks. Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marines validated tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel by rapidly planning and integrating air and ground elements to execute a time-sensitive recovery. The logistics combat element, working with VMM-268, delivered supplies via MV-22B external lift and conducted air delivery of food and water to a notional civilian population in Balabac, demonstrating the task force’s ability to support disaster relief in austere, distributed environments. The aviation and ground combat elements then inserted a multinational ground force in Balabac to simulate seizing an airfield and establishing expeditionary advanced base operations, enabled by a multinational reconnaissance team and synchronized fires, engineering reconnaissance, and health services.

“It’s about the individual Marine and Sailor building trust and strengthening the bonds that form the true foundation of our alliance,” he said.

“Our strength comes from our people. The Marines and Sailors of this rotation are highly trained, adaptable, and ready to work alongside our Australian counterparts,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. George Flynn, commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26, a Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force — certified.