Commanding Officer HMAS Stirling

Captain Brett Dowsing, RAN

Captain Brett Dowsing, RAN was born in Perth WA on 20 September 1953 and spent his childhood in Merredin and Broome WA, and in Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. He joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in January 1969 and graduated from the Naval College HMAS Creswell in December 1973.

Professional training saw completion of operations and warfare courses in the UK and sea service in HMA Ships Parramatta, Anzac, Duchess, Vendetta and Sydney; the last operating in Vietnamese waters during conflict. Awarded his seaman watchkeeping and navigation certificates, he then commanded the Marine Search and Rescue Section, RAAF Williamtown that operated two 65 ft high speed vessels from Newcastle, NSW. Maintaining the Air Force connection, he commenced pilot training in 1976 and received his ”Wings” at RAAF Pearce in December 1977.

Operational flying postings included the following:

• Iroquois UH-1B search and rescue pilot in HC 723 Squadron at Naval Air Station, Nowra NSW;
• Flight Commander HMAS MORESBY flying Bell 206B-1 helicopters in survey support;
• Flight Commander HC 723 Squadron operating 10 Wessex 31B helicopters in support of SAS counter-terrorist operations;
• Senior Pilot HC 723 Squadron flying and embarkation of initial Bell 206 and AS350 Flights aboard FFG07 frigates; and
• Commissioning Commanding Officer of HS 816 Squadron for the introduction of 16 Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters into operational service and as FFG-07 Flights.

Interdispersed with the flying postings, two further sea commands were fulfilled – HMAS Buccaneer (Attack Class Patrol Boat) home-ported in Sydney and Darwin, and HMAS Gladstone (Fremantle Class Patrol Boat) home-ported in Cairns. Patrol activities included all Australian waters other than Western Australia, and the Pacific Ocean as far afield as Tonga.

Senior shore postings have included the following:

• Navy Office Directorates of Plans and Air Warfare - the latter as Director during Gulf War 1.
• Chief of Staff HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin responsible for the co-ordination of ashore support for major maritime exercises and home-ported minor war vessels, and personnel management for the 650 naval and associated civilian staff in area.
• Fleet Aviation Officer on the Maritime Commander’s staff responsible for operational standards and planning for the embarked elements of the Fleet Air Arm – this period included the initial operations in Timor and Bougainville, preparation for evacuations from Indonesia and in support of counter-terrorist operations associated with the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
• Staff Officer Naval Aviation on the Naval Attaché’s staff in Washington DC responsible for liaison between the ADF and US on all aspects of maritime helicopter operations – this surreal period included the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and on terror.
• Director for East Timor in International Policy Division of ADHQ which included policy management for UNMISET and Defence Cooperation Program requirements.
• Member of the Sea King Board of Inquiry investigating and reporting on the crash of Sea KingADF personnel.
• Directing Staff at the Australian Defence College's Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies.

Both the RAN Staff Course and the Joint Services Staff Course have been completed and he has been awarded an MScTech (UNSW) and a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Studies (UNSW). CAPT Dowsing took command of HMAS Stirling (Fleet Base West) on 20 June 2008.

With his wife Sonja, Brett Dowsing’s family comprises two daughters Karyna (20) and Riana (17). Recreational interests are biased towards sports (tennis and golf), civil flying and reading, when work and family commitments permit.