One of Australia’s Huon class Mine Hunters, HMAS Yarra, continues to play an integral part of Exercise DUGONG 15.
The exercise, conducted in Hobart between 5-16 October, has successfully tested the interoperability capabilities of the Navy in the conduct of mine counter measures, clearance diving and salvage operations.
Bringing together personnel from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand, with observers from India and Sweden, it is the Royal Australian Navy’s primary mine warfare and clearance diving training activity. This is the second time the exercise has been held in Tasmanian waters, the first being in 2009.
During the two week exercise, Yarra’s role has been to locate, identify and neutralise underwater threats using her state of the art variable depth sonar and tactical data system along with her organic mine disposal vehicles and clearance diver element.
An additional pressure on Yarra during the exercise has been the requirements of Sea Training Group members of which have been certifying the ship for unit readiness concurrently with Yarra’s participation in Exercise DUGONG 15.
[mappress mapid=”17168″]
Image: Australian Navy