Navy clearance divers clear the way
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Navy divers from Australian Clearance Dive Team One have cleared Pearl Harbor of mines and unexploded ordnance giving safe access to the ‘Country Green’ forces in Exercise RIMPAC 2012.
Operating off the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force Ship Bungo as the advanced force, the multi-national Underwater Mine Counter Measures task unit comprising Australians, Japanese and New Zealanders cleared the Port of Pearl Harbor to secure the critical supply lines for Country Green.
In addition to the Underwater Mine Counter Measures detachment, an explosive ordnance disposal team supported the Marine Expeditionary Force and the battle damage repair and salvage detachment supporting the naval expeditionary forces.
Lieutenant Commander Brett Dawe said that the training value the team gets from working in the multi-national environment can’t be underestimated.
“RIMPAC is an opportunity to work in a challenging training environment and we get to see how other nations operate and from that we can get some really good learning points,” Lieutenant Commander Dawe said.
During the exercise, the 84-strong dive contingent has been responsible for conducting underwater mine counter measures, explosive ordnance disposal and harbour clearances in Hawaii and southern California.
Australian Clearance Dive Team Four has been operating in southern California conducting very shallow water mine clearance counter measures, air mine counter measures and surface mine counter measures.
The maritime environment in Pearl Harbor presented its own particular challenges.
“This exercise gives us a chance to be employed how we would in real time operations and coming together at RIMPAC shows us how we can work with other nations and be an effective force,” Lieutenant Commander Dawe said.
Twenty-two nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel participated in RIMPAC exercise from 29 June to 3 August, in and around the Hawaiian Islands.
The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans.