Deploying less than ten days ago with a fleet of Royal Australian Navy ships, landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra completed the first international engagement activity of her Indo-Pacific Endeavour deployment.
Training with her US Navy counterpart, USS Bonhomme Richard, Canberra reached a new milestone on September 8 when a US Marine Corps (USMC) MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor landed on HMAS Canberra’s flight deck for the first time ever.
In addition to the MV-22, the training also involved the SH60S Seahawk helicopter with a focus on flight deck familiarisation for the USMC aircrew and currency training for Adelaide’s aviation support sailors.
Canberra’s sister ship, HMAS Adelaide was the first to accommodate an MV-22 Osprey last year during the US-hosted exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) Joint Task Group, Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2017, has completed the first international engagement activity of its deployment.
Commander Joint Task Group, Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2017, Captain Jonathan Earley of the Royal Australian Navy, said successful activities like this highlight the continued enhancement of interoperability between the two militaries.
“It is important that we take opportunities like these to work with our US partners to enhance our understanding and processes for operating with this unique capability,” Captain Earley said.
Running from 4 September to 26 November 2017, Indo-Pacific Endeavour will at various stages involve more than 1200 ADF personnel, six navy ships, and a number of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.
The engagement is focused on enhancing military cooperation with some of Australia’s key regional partners including Brunei, Cambodia, the Federated States of Micronesia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.