After a long period out of the water and alongside conducting her Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade, HMAS Anzac has sailed from Fleet Base West and made a big splash, firing two MU90 Practice Delivery Torpedos (PDTs) in pursuit of her Sea Qualifications Trials.
The last week of October was a busy one, with the ship’s crew completing her Mariner Skills Evaluation (MSE) which allowed the ship to safely proceed to sea.
The MU90 firing was an exciting affair for Team Anzac. Co-ordinating all the moving parts to ensure that the evolution ran smoothly was the Tactical Anti-Submarine Officer, Lieutenant Ken Brown.
Although a PDT firing doesn’t appear to be as attractive as other warfare spheres, a lot of planning goes into what is essentially a minute or two of the serial. The Operations and Electronic Technican crews planned this well, which resulted in a very successful trial after a long period in refit.
In order to fire a torpedo there are a number of checks that need to be accomplished by specialist personnel. As a former Torpedo Systems Instructor, at HMAS Cerberus, Petty Officer Electronic Technician Jeffree Dillon finally got his chance to prepare and launch his first MU-90 torpedo.
Seaman Electronic Technician Jack Chilvers was the communications conduit between the Operations Room and the torpedo tubes and was impressed with his first exposure to a firing.
Over the next few months Anzac will continue to test her combat system, after a short visit to Albany for the centenary commemorations of the departure of troops for the First World War.
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Press release, Image: Australian Navy