Welcome home Daddy
4 June 2010
Today, HMAS Anzac returned to Garden Island, Rockingham after four months away participating in maritime exercises in South East Asia. While deployed, HMAS Anzac, the first Anzac Class Frigate, took part in exercise Bersama Shield alongside Navy and Air Force assets from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and United Kingdom.
Exercise Bersama Shield continued to build on the close working relationship that has been developed between the five nations through the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) over almost forty years. The exercise took place in April and May on the Malaysian Peninsula and in the South China Sea and focussed on the FPDA participants cooperating to enhance regional security.
MAS Anzac’s ship's company also enjoyed port visits to Singapore and Sihanoukville, Cambodia during their deployment. Prior to this, Anzac led the way for the Navy’s annual Fleet Concentration Period, conducted off the east coast of Australia. The annual exercise is an impressive gathering of many Australian Navy assets to ensure a high standard of training and preparedness for deployments.
For Anzac, the Fleet Concentration Period was followed by several weeks of intensive navigation training in constrained waters around New Zealand. Anzac’s ship's company are now looking forward to spending some time at home with loved ones, after such a busy deployment as a start to their year.
