Australian Clearance Diving Team 1

Commanding Officer	Lieutenant Commander Christopher White

Australian Clearance Diving Team One is one of two commissioned Clearance Diving Teams in the Royal Australian Navy. Clearance Diving Team was created 18 March 1966 at HMAS Waterhen to support the Eastern based fleet. Australian Clearance Divers have always been the Australian Defence Forces' (ADF) specialist divers and have, since the inception of the Branch in 1951, operated all in-service diving equipment to the full extent of its operational capacity.

The primary focus of a Clearance Diver is to perform Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and are capable of locating and destroying or recovering underwater ordnance and Improvised explosive device disposal (IEDD). This role is conducted at sea in ships, in the oceans (particularly the vulnerable approaches to ports and anchorages), and onshore in port facilities, installations and the littoral environment associated with amphibious operations. The Australian Clearance Diving community represents the largest single ADF organisation with a direct and primary interest in the conduct of EOD. The RAN Clearance Diving Branch's equipment has been state of the art and their techniques are regarded as world leading.

Clearance Diving Team One consists of a headquarters element and three operational elements that specialise in Maritime Tactical Operations (MTO), Mine Counter-Measures (MCM) and Underwater Battle Damage Repair (UBDR). All elements are capable of performing IEDD and EOD operations and are capable of being deployed independently or as a combined task unit.

AUSCDT One personnel have been involved in numerous operations including; Vietnam , Gulf War One and Two (through the formation of AUSCDT Three). Team One is regularly involved in major international exercises such as RIMPAC, Tri-Crab, Talisman Sabre and Bersama Lima.

All sailors joining the Diving Branch must undergo acceptance testing and complete the arduous requirements of the Clearance Diving qualification course. The Basic Clearance Diver Course spans 37 weeks whilst the Advanced Clearance Diver Course and the Clearance Diving component of the Mine warfare and Clearance Diving Officers course spans 41 weeks. The demands placed on potential applicants to this category are not seen elsewhere in the ADF except with the Special Forces.