Clearance Divers are assisted into a small RHIB to conduct a further search of the wharf for booby traps and other ordnance during Ex Dugong on the NSW South Coast.

Photo: ABPH Brenton Freind

By Graham Davis

Cyclops is now on watch for the RAN and keeping an eye on the safety its members.

Cyclops is a remotely controlled vehicle fitted with closed circuit TV, a grabbing claw and a .30 calibre rifle, which can roll up to an unexploded ordnance or suspicious package, view it and necessary destroy it with a shot.

The RAN has just taken delivery of three of the devices at a cost of $200,000 each.

“They are to provide safety to members of our diving teams (the members of the RAN responsible for the disposal of ordnance),” CAPT Steve McDowall, the Mine Warfare FEG commander said.

One Cyclops is assigned to AUSCDTFOUR based at HMAS Stirling, another to AUSCDTONE at HMAS Waterhen and the third to the RAN’s diving school based at HMAS Penguin.

In times of maintenance of the Stirling or Waterhen devices the Penguin machine would be provided.

AUSCDTFOUR has only had its Cyclops since August 13 when the unit successfully completed its Unit Readiness Evaluation.

Led by the team commander, LCDR Steve Bliss, the Team Four divers demonstrated Cyclops during Exercise Dugong held in recent weeks at Jervis Bay and Twofold Bay.

The explosive’s experts placed a suspicious looking package on a grassed hill and, using a control panel and closed circuit TV, drove Cyclops from the waterfront carpark up the knoll and to the box.

The camera zoomed in on the box allowing the divers to examine it closely.

Following a check that all people were well clear of the knoll, operator fired a projectile into package sending it to fragments and revealing a battery device. CAPT McDowall and LCDR Bliss inspected the result after the all clear.

Fitted with both wheels and tracks and smaller than older robotic demolition devices used by some other services, Cyclops can be used ashore or confined spaces of vessels.

Tungsten core cause for ‘war’
Eden goes from paradise to ‘battle scene’ as Dugong explodes onto the radar

By Graham Davis

One hundred and eighty RAN, RAAF and Defence civilian personnel have battled it out in the war between the Egaliterians (goodies) and the Profiterians (baddies) on the South Coast of NSW.

The imaginary battle over access rights ship tungsten out of the port of Eden was the scenario for the annual Exercise Dugong.

The exercise was aimed at testing the personnel and assets of the mine warfare FEG, the RAAF’s ordnance disposal experts and support agencies such as, the Hydrographic Service, Defence Maritime Services and the Fleet Air Arm.

The exercise was conducted in two phases - a training phase held in Jervis Bay and nearby Commonwealth lands bring skills “up to speed” and a “free play” phase conducted in Twofold Bay.

It was deemed that the Profiterians baddies) from south of the border wanted export tungsten from the port of Eden under the control of the Egaliterians.

The Egaliterians did not want this to happen so in retaliation the Profiterians mined Twofold Bay so the port could not used.

The first phase of the exercise, to be repeated in the more serious drill at Eden later, saw unmanned drone boats sweep backwards and forwards across sections Jervis Bay enticing mines to detonate through the huge magnets and acoustic buoys towed behind them.

The boat’s operators monitored the search pattern from the shore.

A number mines were successfully detonated by the drones.

The use of the drone boats was the first phase of providing a “Q route” or safe navigation passage from the open sea across the bay to a beach where “paper” assets HMAShips Tobruk, Success, Melbourne and Manoora would eventually sail and either land resources or provide “guard ship” protection.

Next phase of “Q route” provision came with the mine hunters using their sonar to check the seabed for mines.

Again a number of devices were found, divers descended attaching lines and bringing the mines aboard.

In the shallows clearance divers searched for and found smaller mines which if “real” would destroy small landing craft and kill their occupants.

On shore RAAF members checked buildings and vehicles for devices.

New Defence assets including the robotic Cyclops ordnance destruction vehicle was demonstrated along with the latest satellite communications pack.

AUSCDTFOUR had its brand new recrompression chamber not only on display but ready for any possible emergency.

On September 14 the Egalitarians contacted the ADF and said they needed to be “saved.”

The United Nations had become “involved” and “rules of engagement” mapped out.

The exercise took on new meaning and resources began to head south ready for the September 18 opening conflict.

Again the scenario was to provide a safe “Q route” across Twofold Bay, then make sure the landing area was clear for the arriving land forces and their equipment.

This is where the Stirling divers were to be harassed by the Waterhen divers.

The exercise operation lasted until September 22.

.