Operation RENDER SAFE 2011

25 October 2011

(L-R) Lieutenant Commander Matt Wray, Commanding Officer HMNZS Resolution, briefs Commander Scott Craig RAN, Commander Joint Task Force 663, and Lieutenant Commander Trevor Leslie, Commander of the Royal New Zealand Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, on the underwater survey conducted by his team in preparation for UXO disposal work in the harbour.

More than 150 personnel from the Australian, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea Defence Forces are involved in Operation RENDER SAFE 2011. The ADF's enduring peace-time mission is being conducted over the period 18 October to 4 November in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.

The task is to identify, assess and make safe unexploded World War II ordnance. Operation RENDER SAFE 2011 will also involve a tasking to clear unexploded ordnance (UXO) from the Kokoda Track.

Operation RENDER SAFE is bolstered by maritime assets HMA Ships Gascoyne and Diamantina and HMNZ Ships Resolution and Wellington, providing important underwater surveying capability.

Cooperation between the three participating nations will provide a great service to the people of Rabaul as well as provide Defence personnel with an opportunity to work side-by-side, whilst continuing to enhance skills in rendering unexploded ordnance safe.