Publication:Sea Talk Spring 2008/Fleet is abuzz with activity
By LEUT Katey Mouritz
RAN Fleet units continue their focus on training, retention and international engagement in 2008.
The longest deployment of RAN ships was to RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) 2008, an exercise hosted by the United States in waters off the coast of Hawaii, involving nine other Pacific nations. RIMPAC helps to promote stability in the Pacific Rim region to the benefit of all participating nations.
HMA Ships Anzac, Tobruk and Success and Submarine Waller, and Australian Clearance Diving Team Four deployed for the exercise, mounted between June 29 and July 31.
A highlight of the exercise was Waller’s successful firing of a new heavyweight torpedo, which has been jointly developed by Australia and the US.
Anzac was conducting port visits throughout South East Asia and participating in Exercise AUSTHAI with the Royal Thai Navy, prior to returning to Australia.
The RAN contribution to international exercises in recent months has also included the Australia-hosted Exercise KAKADU IX, held off the coast of Darwin between July 21 and August 8.
HMA Ships Sirius, Toowoomba, Melbourne, Collins, Diamantina, Gascoyne, Maryborough and Maitland represented the RAN during KAKADU.
Ten ships from regional nations, as well as observers from three other countries also participated in the exercise directed at improving maritime interoperability through a variety of training activities.
The period of exercise activity associated with KAKADU was extended for HMA Ships Melbourne, Toowoomba and Pirie, by their involvement in Exercise SINGAROO before KAKADU. SINGAROO involved a five days of evolutions between the Australian ships and vessels of the Royal Singaporean Navy. Melbourne and Maryborough capped off their exercise schedule with a further week in Exercise MASTEX.
Deployments focussing on regional engagement of neighbouring countries have been a highlight of many ship’s programmes in the previous months.
HMA Ships Diamantina and Gascoyne were involved in a South East Asian deployment prior to their inclusion in Exercise KAKADU and enjoyed visits to Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia), Phuket (Thailand) and Jakarta.
HMA Ships Pirie and Launceston have also visited our neighbours in the South West Pacific in Vanuatu, Samoa, Cook Islands and Tonga.
HMAS Ballarat was undertaking a deployment in the Southwest Pacific region to engage Australia’s regional neighbours and strengthen international ties. The ship supported the Australian Government’s participation in the coronation of, the reigning monarch of Tonga, King George Tupou V. Ballarat was due to visit Port Vila in Vanuatu and Auckland and Dunedin in New Zealand before returning to Australian waters late in August.
Such a level of activity in the Fleet requires great effort on the part of Fleet units for exercise and port visit planning and execution, but provides great opportunities and rewards in supporting individual and collective training, retention and regional engagement.
