On 6 December, HMAS Tobruk sailed through Sydney Heads after five months away, and was welcomed alongside her home port, Garden Island by family and friends.
Commanding Officer, Commander Leif Maxfield said since sailing in mid June, the ship has maintained a high tempo:
We spent a significant period of time conducting civil maritime security operations as part of RESOLUTE off northern Australia. While providing essential capability to the operation, we completed a range of training activities, qualifying a number of Marine Technician sailors as well as Maritime Warfare Officers.
The in-company time with Armidale Class Patrol Boats and Mine Hunter Coastal vessels allowed us to consolidate Officer of the Watch skills and advance ship handling techniques.
Outside of our RESOLUTE commitments, we also visited Kota Kinabulu, Malaysia and Manila, in the Philippines, where the ship’s company were thanked for the support provided through Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations as part of Operation PHILIPPINES ASSIST in December 2013.
Commander Maxfield added:
In October, we conducted a short maintenance period in Singapore and embarked 50 trainees from New Entry Officers’ Course 51 for their Sea Training Deployment.
MRH-90 pilots from 5 Aviation Regiment also had the chance to qualify using Tobruk’s flight deck as we passed Townsville, practicing deck launch and recovery drills. This also gave us the chance to refresh training and qualify Helicopter Control Officer and Flight Deck Marshallers before returning to Sydney.
HMAS Tobruk, a Landing Ship Heavy, provides the Royal Australian Navy with a sealift capability and is critical to the amphibious capability.
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Press release, Image: Australian Navy