Training doesn't take a holiday for divers

29 November 2010

FROM THE SEA: SMNCD Joshua Cummins and AUSCDT Four clearance divers practise beach insertion techniques during work-ups. Photo: LSIS Phillip Cullinan.

With the end of the year approaching, many of us are starting to wind down. Not so for Australian Clearance Diving Team Four (AUSCDT Four). Instead, AUSCDT Four has been conducting workups to ensure its personnel are trained and ready to respond when called upon.

The Maritime Tactical Operations (MTO) Element within AUSCDT Four recently conducted exercises to teach new members the specialised tactics and methods required to perform duties as MTO clearance divers.

The MTO Element within AUSCDT Four is required to provide very shallow water mine counter measures detection and disposal, which involves reconnaissance of the seabed and areas to the back of the beach.

Clearance divers in the MTO Element are trained in subsurface insertion and extraction, and must know how to use small arms and tactics.

They work in small teams and are versatile in how and where they can be employed at short notice – this includes counter-IED through to counter- piracy boarding operations around the globe.

IN THE DEEP END: AUSCDT Four team members conduct deep sea dive training off HMAS Stirling, while inset, CO AUSCDT Four LCDR Chris Leece prepares to conduct deep diving during work-ups. Photo: LSIS Phillip Cullinan.

AUSCDT Four’s Under Water Battle Damage Repair (UBDR) Element recently conducted deep diving work-ups in support of MU90 Torpedo trials.

Clearance divers may be required to recover the MU90 in the event the torpedo’s floatation system fails during the trial and the work-up was conducted to ensure all divers are prepared and able to work at the depth of water in which the trial will be carried out – 50 metres.

The UBDR Element’s main role is to support major fleet units at HMAS Stirling, which includes minor tasks such as ship propeller cleaning, ship hull surveys and poker gauge tests. Major tasks can include sonar dome removal and replacements, propeller replacements and ship stern gland replacements.

The UBDR Element also has a full under-water cutting and welding capability, which may be used for emergency patches of ships at sea in case of hull damage.

PROP WORK: A clearance diver inspects a boat’s propellor in the small boat compound at HMAS Stirling. Photo: ABCD Reece Menzies.