Protector tests fleet readiness

By Graham Davis

Onboard HMAS Manoora, Seaman Kristal Robertson, sends morse code on the signal lamp during Exercise Ocean Protector off the NSW coast.

Photo: ABPH Brenton Freind

“Situation red, incoming Mirage carrying Exocet, bearing 240,” the voice over the tannoy warned the ship’s company of HMAS Newcastle.

Midships the 4,100 tonne frigate’s search radar took on a jerking motion as it tracked the incoming bogey.

In the darkened operations room below decks, grey overalled officers and sailors watched an approaching blip on their radar screens.

On deck helmeted sailors searched the skies with their big eyes and their binoculars.

Seconds later a Pelair Lear jet screamed just a few hundred metres past the stern of the warship.

An hour later the ship was under attack again, this time by four RAAF Hornets.

They were mock attacks on the warship but they were taken very seriously. They also proved invaluable.

They were used to train up new personnel posted just weeks earlier to the ship.

Closely watching proceedings was Newcastle’s new commanding officer, CAPT Trevor Jones.

The scene was replicated on another 11 ships from Australia and New Zealand spread out over the Eastern Australian Exercise Area.

They were taking part in Exercise Ocean Protector.

The exercise was staged over two weeks in February and involved more than 2000 RAN, Army and RAAF personnel from Australia.

From the RAN were HMA Ships Newcastle, Canberra (CMDR Stuart Mayer), Manoora (CMDR Martin Brooker), Tobruk (CMDR Nick Bramwell), Gascoyne (LCDR Dean Schopen), Diamantina (LCDR Paul Scott) and, HMA Submarines Waller (LCDR Mark Potter) and Dechaineux (LCDR Simon Rusiti).

New Zealand sent the Anzac class frigates Te Kaha and Te Mana and fleet oiler Endeavour.

“Many ships see new members join them in early January. Some are fresh from training school,” CAPT Jones said.
“Twenty six per cent of my crew are newcomers.

“They have done classroom training but they need to improve their skills.

“Taking part in Ocean Protector is a way to do it.”

Elsewhere during the exercise, RAN Sea Kings and Seahawks and New Zealand Seasprites, shuttled to and from flight decks.

Ocean Protector is a regimented exercise and is the annual lead-in drill for the RAN and New Zealand.

After a “fleet entry” return to Sydney Harbour on Friday, February 13, the ship’s companies rested before heading to sea once again.

This time they took part in Tasmanex 2004, a more free playing exercise further down the NSW coast involving both navies.

The New Zealanders ran this year’s exercise.

.