Australia: Triton Warrior 2012 Held in EAXA

TRITON WARRIOR 2012 (TW12) has been taking place in the East Australian Exercise Area (EAXA) during November, and is the fourth in the series of TRITON exercises conducted by the RAN providing regular maritime warfare scenarios to ensure ships and personnel are properly trained and equipped.

TW12 has involved a series of mariner skill and unit readiness ‘work-ups’ to allow new personnel to be integrated into the Ship’s Company and apply their skills in practical situations. HMAS Parramatta conducted her unit readiness work-up evaluation, with support form HMAS Darwin, including a tow, multiple air warfare simulations, anti-submarine defence and surface evolutions. The exercise also gave ships the opportunity to operate in company with other Fleet Units and exercise jointly with aviation assets.

The French Navy, Marine Nationale, also participated in TW12, with FNS Vendemiaire spending a day working with Darwin. Throughout the cross deck day the bridge team completed a set of Officer of the Watch Manoeuvres, a multi ship RAS with the Navy’s Replenishment Oiler HMAS Success. This allowed for strengthening of international ties, and the opportunity to gain insight into how other countries Naval Forces function.

As part of TW12, Exercise Dugong, the Navy’s annual mine warfare exercise, was conducted in Jervis Bay, where Coastal Mine Hunter ships, HMA Ships Diamantina, Gascoyne and Yarra, conducted mine field navigation and clearance evolutions and clearance diving operations in Jervis Bay, with Clearance Diving Team 1.

The other Fleet Units taking part in TW12 were RAN Frigates HMA Ships Sydney, Newcastle, Ballarat, and Warramunga, with HMAS Albatross based units 816 Squadron Seahawk helicopters and 723 Squadron Squirrel and Bell 429 helicopters providing RAN Aviation support.

Testing of a newly developed remote control surface target also occurred during the exercise off Jervis Bay. This capability will allow the RAN to develop skills and tactics to overcome threat from Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC). The trials involved the Australian Maritime Warfare Centre (AMWC), HMAS Darwin, 816 Squadron and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO).

TW12 is part of the Navy’s ongoing training program aimed at enhancing its capability to protect Australia and its interests.

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Naval Today Staff, November 23, 2012; Image: RAN