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This is an edited version of an original story featured in Navy News, written by Lieutenant Commander Kelli Lunt and published on December 12, 2019.

Tim Tams and Vegemite were part of the pay-off as minehunters pulled off a complex manoeuvre – one of the many successes during the year's largest deployment.

In a first for Navy, HMA Ships Diamantina and Gascoyne completed a complex dual refuel and stores replenishment with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's (JMSDF) JS Uraga during the East Asia Deployment.

The evolution involved the two Huon-class minehunters 'rafting' up to the anchored mine sweep tender and taking on a combined 32,000 litres of fuel and three days' worth of food stores each.

Completed during Exercise Hyuga Nada – a mine counter-measures exercise off the coast of Miyazaki, Japan – the raft exercise was the culmination of more than 12 months of planning.

Commander Task Group Commander Brett Dawe said it was a momentous achievement in deepening the Royal Australian Navy's connection with the JMSDF and for the minehunter capability.

“This raft exercise was conducted by a relatively small task group and required coordination of people, parts and relationships,” Commander Dawe said.

“The performance of all three teams was flawless in ensuring success and safety.”

The refuelling concept was born during the inaugural Exercise Hyuga Nada, when participating ships Gascoyne and Huon rafted to JS Bungo in 2018.

A raft replenishment was then conducted between Diamantina and HMAS Leeuwin earlier this year.

The conditions were challenging for this evolution because of the different sizes and functionalities of the platforms and the unfavourable swell and weather. 

Commanding Officer Diamantina Lieutenant Commander Darren McDevitt said this resupply was important for the deployment and was planned with the JMSDF across engineering, logistics, policy, seamanship and operations disciplines.

“After a significant amount of engagement with our Japanese partners, and many technical drawings later, the refuel pumping was understood and, critically, a hose connection was manufactured and approved for use,” Lieutenant Commander McDevitt said.

“The JMSDF does this process regularly, and JS Uraga was well set up with lines and fenders.

"When conducting a replenishment at sea in this manner, the ships are only a few metres apart so there was much friendly banter between the two crews – between old friends and some new ones.

“The replenishment had a critical function as there were very few opportunities for logistical resupply in the exercise area to continue their deployment.”

Commanding Officer Gascoyne Lieutenant Commander Sean Aitken said the milestone was satisfying for his ship, despite the conditions.

“It was pleasing to be able to see the culmination of the planning efforts that have gone into this evolution and even better that Gascoyne was able to finish what was started last year,” Lieutenant Commander Aitken said. 

“Rafting to a foreign warship while at anchor, in very challenging conditions, and then passing fuel is not something that MHCs [minehunter coastal ships] practise often.”

He said the expertise of several members of Gascoyne who took part in the exercise with Bungo the previous year was instrumental to the success of this exercise.

"Being able to successfully complete the rafting and having passed fuel and food – there was a vital resupply of Tim Tarns and Vegemite also passed to the embarked Commander Task Group on board Uraga – was one of the highlights of the exercise for the crew," Lieutenant Commander Aitken said.

Explore more stories about the Royal Australian Navy in Trove.