The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba has returned to its homeport of Fleet Base West, Rockingham, after the ship’s longest deployment to date, contributing to seven task groups in seven months.
Commanding Officer, Commander Mitchell Livingstone, said Toowoomba achieved many milestones since February, supporting an extensive series of exercises, international engagements and training activities.
“Toowoomba has participated in three exercises, the Principal Warfare Officer Assessment Week, and two regional deployments to engage with our regional partners and further Australia’s interests abroad,” Livingstone explained.
Toowoomba has sailed 40,125 nautical miles, or more than 74,000km, equivalent to 1.85 times around the world.
“The commitment shown by the ship’s company has allowed us to do much this year, with highlights being our role as Commander of the Exercise Bersama Shield Task Group Maritime Component and the multiple weapons and missile firings we conducted at Exercise RIMPAC,” he added.
Throughout the deployment, the ship visited various ports around Australia, Guam, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Vanuatu, the United States, and the Solomon Islands .
HMAS Toowoomba is the seventh of eight Anzac-class frigates built by Tenix Defence Systems for RAN.