HMAS Warramunga, got up close and personal with some of the resource platforms in the North West Shelf as it conducted a Presence Patrol in the region.
The patrol followed on from Warramunga’s successful participation in Exercise BLUE RAPTOR last month.
Exercise BLUE RAPTOR was a maritime security exercise which tested communications, procedures and protocols between the Navy ships and other units of the Australian Defence Force with the oil and gas installations in the area.
The Commanding Officer of HMAS Warramunga , Commander David Tietzel, CSM , said, “These patrols are great work for the crew and prove a timely reminder to the nation that we are indeed an Island nation. I don’t think this is lost on those serving in the Navy but sometimes its good to be reminded and being here certainly does that.”
These patrols highlight the strategic importance of the region to Australia as a Nation and form part of Australian Government’s maritime security framework to safeguard Australia’s off-shore facilities.
These patrols allow Royal Australian Navy ships to test communications, procedures and protocols with offshore oil and gas installations. This allows the Navy to review and improve its procedures from the lessons learnt and incorporate them into the planning of future activities.
[mappress] Press Release, September 20, 2013; Image: Australian Navy