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Prawns,
roo end RIMPAC 2002 at Pearl Harbor
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HMAS
Sheean followed by a US Coastguard vessel. RIMPAC 2002 has
been a resounding success for the Aussie diesel electric
boat.
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HMAS
Sheean (LCDR Tim Brown) was the RAN’s sole participant in this
year’s Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2002, conducted
recently in the waters off Hawaii.
Sheean arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on June 26, with exercise
planning and briefings well under way.
The focus of RIMPAC 02 was undersea warfare, an environment Sheean
thrives in.
With a wide range of air, surface and sub-surface platforms, the
Sheean team was looking forward to participating in such a large
international exercise. Pitting itself against the likes of the
USA, Peru, Chile, Japan and South Korea, Sheean performed extremely
well, maintaining her ‘Fight On’ spirit throughout and
her reputation for both professionalism and as a dangerous opponent.
RIMPAC 02 was broken into two phases, the work-up phase and the
tactical free play phase. Separated by a photo exercise, the work-up
phase proved invaluable in ensuring Sheean was operationally ready
to take the war to the multinational task force (MTF) and the amphibious
task force (ATF).
Following the photo exercise, Sheean re-positioned as part of the
Opposition Force (OPFOR), playing the part of a rogue diesel submarine
along with the South Korean submarine ROKS Naedayong.
Starting the ‘war’ with the ‘sinking’ of the
civilian cruise liner Norwegian Star and USS Cromellin (FFG), the
tactical phase proved fruitful with a further two large-scale ‘sinkings’,
overall managing to ‘sink’ 85,000 tonnes of shipping.
The next day Sheean penetrated a P3C and S60B anti-submarine screen
before sighting the eight-vessel strong ATF. Waiting silently for
16 hours, Sheean penetrated the final surface unit screen to ‘sink’
both the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa and dock landing ship
USS Rushmore.
RIMPAC 02 proved to be a successful exercise with Sheean performing
extremely well, achieving all her operational aims. The opportunity
to exercise with foreign navies is always welcomed, as is the opportunity
to meet personnel from other countries.
RIMPAC was closed out with a function held on the hangar deck of
USS Tarawa. Each country represented in RIMPAC set up stalls offering
some of their local fare.
The chefs from Sheean barbequed large quantities of prawns, kangaroo
and emu, all washed down with Australian beer. The stand was very
well patronised, with all victuals exhausted in the first hour-and-a-half.
Sheean remained in Pearl Harbor after RIMPAC for a maintenance period,
and to prepare for the USN Potential Commanding Officer’s course
and Exercise Lungfish.
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