Source: United States Navy
Paparo met with a number of senior Australian officials to discuss the importance of maritime security and interoperability between naval forces especially in the critical Southwest Pacific Ocean, including:
- Minister of Defence Peter Dutton
- Chief of Navy Vice Adm. Michael Noonan
- Australian Defense Force Chief of Joint Operations Lt. Gen. Greg Bilton
- Air Commander Australia Air Vice-Marshal Darren Goldie
- Fleet Base East Deputy Commander Commodore Jonathan Earley
Paparo participated in the Royal Australian Navy’s Sea Power Conference 2022 held at the Indo-Pacific Maritime Exposition in Sydney, where he spoke on the “Seapower in the 21st Century” panel led by Noonan and with fellow panelist:
- Royal Canadian Navy Chief of Navy Staff Vice Adm. Craig Baines
- Indian Navy Eastern Naval Command Commander-in-Chief Vice. Adm. Biswajit Dasgupta
- Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Chief of Maritime Staff Adm. Ryo Sakai
- Royal New Zealand Navy Chief of Navy Rear Adm. David Proctor
- Papua New Guinea Defense Force Deputy Chief Commodore Philip Polewara
- Republic of Singapore Navy Chief of Navy Rear Adm. Aaron Beng
- Royal Navy First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff Sir Adm. Ben Key
The panel focused on the state of navies and cooperation between allies and like-minded partners operating across the region to ensure maritime security and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
In addition to underscoring the importance of the Quad and AUKUS, Paparo participated in bilateral discussions with Sakai, Proctor, Beng, Key, and:
- Chilean Navy Commander-in-Chief Adm. Andres de la Maza
- French Armed Forces in French Polynesia Commander Rear Adm. Jean-Mathieu Rey
- Republic of Korea Navy Vice Chief of the Naval Operations Vice Adm. Hyunil Kim
- Royal Thai Navy Commander-in-Chief Adm. Somprasong Nilsamai
During the visit, Paparo participated in the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea remembrance aboard HMAS Sydney. Dutton, Noonan, Sakai, Paparo, Earley and ship leadership reflected on the historic battle, lessons learned, and the solidarity of the alliances and friendships between Australia, Japan, and the United States.