By
LEUT Dan Sutherland
In the stormy waters off Western Australia recently it was sub
versus sub in a game of cat and mouse.
HMAS Farncomb (LCDR Mark Hammond) took on the Los Angeles class
nuclear submarine, USS Houston (CDR John Zavadil) in the West
Australian Exercise Area during Exercise Lungfish.
Inclement weather offered three metre swells and 60 knot winds,
but this wasn’t enough to overcome the skill and resolve
of Farncomb’s ship’s company as they rose to the challenge
of submarine hunting in sea state six.
Following a quick dive west of Rottnest Island to escape the
rough weather, Farncomb launched straight into a series of tracking
exercises against USN P3 aircraft and Houston. They also conducted
an SSX (submarine on submarine exercise) against Houston, with
Farncomb’s sonar operators honing their skills in tracking
quiet nuclear attack submarines.
Ultimately, the week was extremely valuable for both the Australians
and Americans involved, although both crews hope that for the
next Lungfish the weather might be more cooperative.
