By
Graham Davis
Australian
Defence personnel deployed to The Gulf will rise from the present
850 to “just over 900”, Commander Australian Theatre, RADM Mark
Bonser said.
The increase will be the result of some new teams earmarked for
training roles in Iraq.
Among the teams will be 12 officers and sailors from the RAN who
will train the fledgling Iraq naval force in commissioning and
operating a number of Chinese-built patrol boats.
Fifty-three soldiers will go to Iraq to provide basic training
for a brigade sized Iraqi army force.
HMAS Melbourne (CMDR Vern Dutschke) will return to Australia in
April and be replaced by the Anzac class frigate, HMAS Stuart
(CMDR Philip Spedding).
RADM Bonser was one of a group of high-level ADF officers who
attended Victoria Barracks, Sydney on February 23 for the official
launch by Defence Minister Senator Robert Hill of a booklet titled,
The War in Iraq.
The booklet, prepared by Defence, outlined what the ADF had done
in Iraq, what it had learnt and what it needed to improve or change.
After the official launch, Chief of the Defence Force, GEN Peter
Cosgrove outlined the ADF’s commitment in the near future.
“The ADF can be proud of work in Iraq,” GEN Cosgrove said.
As part of Operation Catalyst, the ADF currently has 850 people
deployed to the region. “We have HMAS Melbourne with 240 personnel.
She will be replaced by HMAS Stuart with 150 personnel in March.
Melbourne will be home in April,” he said.
GEN Cosgrove reminded the media in attendance for the launch and
following press conference that it was HMAS Stuart who was instrumental
in the arrest of the alleged drug smuggling ship the Pong Su.
