Image Gallery 2010
19 October 2010
Middle East anti-submarine warfare exercise a success
HMAS Melbourne, under the direction of Commander Mick Harris, recently took a short break from operations to participate in a multinational anti-submarine warfare exercise (ASWEX) in the Gulf of Oman.
As the first upgraded guided missile frigate to operate in the MEAO, the exercise gave Melbourne an early opportunity to interact with coalition partners while maintaining war-fighting proficiency and gaining an invaluable insight into the performance of upgraded systems in a realistic threat environment.
With limited recent opportunities, this was the first deliberate and extended interaction for Melbourne with a submarine in some time.
The schedule of events was programmed over a four day period and imposed graduated operator training that increased in complexity as the operators became more comfortable with the oceanographic conditions. It also took in submarine tracking characteristics and traffic density in the region.
This provided Melbourne’s team with crucial ASW experience and knowledge that will be fostered within the broader RAN community on return to Australia.
The Royal Navy’s Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless provided an outstanding service facilitating significant training opportunities that might otherwise have been lost. Additionally, the external air support – and in particular the opportunity to interact with the Royal Navy’s MERLIN helicopter, fitted with the Thales developed ‘Flash’ dipping sonar – provided valuable training for aircraft controllers and warfare officers.
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