3rd Fleet Admiral Talks to Navy News
27 July 2010 By LCDR Fenn Kemp
Vice Admiral Richard W. Hunt is in charge of the US 3rd Fleet. That makes him the official host of RIMPAC. During the exercise, VADM Hunt has made an effort to visit every ship taking part – that’s more than 30 deck landings and RHIB trips! But he tells Navy News, RIMPAC is vital to keeping this part of the world safe.
Question: Why do we do RIMPAC?
It’s all about preparedness and getting Navies to work together whether it be for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief or conflict. Freedom of the sea is essential. Your Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Russ Crane often points out that 95% of trade flows through the water space. That figure applies in Australia equally as it does in the United States and across the world. It sums up why we are here. There’s a firm commonality between the US and Australian Navies.
Question: What’s your take on the RAN’s new amphibious capability – with the first of two LHDs due to come on line as early as 2014?
The LHDs will give Australia the flexibility to step up and work in your region as a leader and a stronger world partner. One of the things USN has spent a lot of time on is to re-integrate Navy and Marines. I see a great alignment between Australia and the US as we learn to re-integrate our marine and Naval forces.
Question: One of the great successes this RIMPAC has been the MISSILEX when HMAS Warramunga and HMAS Newcastle conducted a missile firing exercise in the Pacific Missile Range Facility as a test of integrated multi-ship defence against multiple targets using SM-2, Evolved Sea Sparrow and Harpoon missiles. Would you like to comment on this?
I was very impressed with both HMAS Newcastle and HMAS Warramunga. You have taken the FFGs and refurbished them. They are world class and superbly executed. It shows how professional the RAN is. When you have an SM2, that’s a real “reach out a touch me” capability.
Question: What is the evolving threat?
We need to be prepared for future threats from both land and sea. There is also the air and cyber domain. The world is changing very rapidly.
What we are generating here at RIMPAC is the capacity to operate anywhere in the world where we are told to by our leaders.
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