GATHERING: Chief of Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove speaks with Midshipmen onboard HMAS Melbourne . The Midshipmen were there to undertake their “life at sea experience”.

EYES OPEN : Seaman Bosuns Mate Zoe Martin keeps a look out while HMAS Parramatta conducts a mine field transit. HMAS Melbourne is in the background.

“Aircraft gathering in the south-east for a third raid,” the deck speakers on HMAS Melbourne warned.

ABBM Jackie Butcher swung her TDT (target designator transmitter) to the south-east and began to plot the course of the “baddies”.

She could fire some of her ship’s weapons if she had to.

There was a Phantom (played by an RAAF F111 from 82 Wing ) and three F5 fighters (played by RAAF Hawks).

They were low and moving fast. At the same time the ringing of bells on the forecastle warned that Melbourne’s bright blue Standard missile was being swivelled and elevated ready to take on the aircraft.

Meanwhile CMDR Tony Raeside had swung the helm of his 4,100 tonne FFG to better meet the threat.

Fifteen miles to the east there were similar scenes onboard HMAS Parramatta (CMDR Mike Noonan) and HMAS Stuart (CMDR Phil Spedding.)

They too readied for battle. Such was the scene, and one of many, in the Eastern Australian Exercise Area between February 1 and 11, as maritime and aviation forces of Australia and New Zealand took part in Exercise Ocean Protector.

The RAN contributed warships Parramatta, Melbourne, Stuart, Huon and Diamantina.

RAN squadrons 816 and 817 supplied Seahawk and Sea King helicopters. Pelair provided target planes while Raytheon mobilised its electronic warfare training system.

More than 200 RAAF personnel took part either flying aircraft or servicing them on the ground. In addition five F111 pilots and navigators spent two days in HMAS Melbourne “seeing how the navy does it”.

The warship also carried several co-ordination experts from the RAAF. The RAAF was well represented in the air with Hawks from 78 wing, F18s from 81 Wing, F111s from 82 Wing, a 707 from 84 Wing and Orions from 92 Wing all participating.

Because Ocean Protector is a combined Australia/New Zealand exercise the New Zealand Navy dispatched HMNZ Ships Te Kaha, Canterbury and Endeavour.

For Canterbury it was her last Ocean Protector before she decommissions on 31 March.

The Royal New Zealand Airforce sent an Orion from No 5 Squadron.

Ocean Protector is regarded as a work up exercise. Close to 1400 uniformed members and civilian contractors took part in this year’s drill Because so many of the ships’ companies are newcomers they need to get the feel of their new ship.

Gradual and closely supervised training is provided by the exercise. It leads to further and more difficult training exercises such as Tasmanex.

HMAS Melbourne was the host ship on 4 February for a media sea day.

Media representatives from the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions were ferried to the warship in Jervis Bay to watch a series of evolutions.

In a press conference, CMDR Raeside spoke of the busy schedule for Melbourne including further exercises on both sides of the Tasman and then entry, later this year, to the Garden Island dock for her $350m FFG upgrade.

She will be fitted with Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles and new defensive systems under the FFG upgrade program.

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