Royal Australian Navy’s lead Canberra-class landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra has sailed the waters around Hawaii conducting docking operations with US Marine Corps’ (USMC) MV-22B Osprey aircraft.
The training took place during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2022, which is held between 29 June and 4 August.
HMAS Canberras embarked two USMC’s MV-22B Osprey. The MV-22 and the crew also conducted a variety of procedures and validations to better enable Australia’s landing helicopter dock to embark and operate MV-22.
#AusNavy landing helicopter dock #HMASCanberra embarked two @USMC MV-22B Osprey for the duration of #RIMPAC2022 . The MV-22 & the crew conducted a variety of procedures & validations to better enable HMAS Canberra to embark & operate the #marines MV-22 anytime, anywhere. ??? pic.twitter.com/Ogctwv6VIP
The US crews are training with Canberra’s crew, working at night within the ship’s tilt rotor operating limits (STROL), flying between USS Essex and Canberra as part of their night competency training exercises.
The night serials ensure that not only can interchangeability between the two navies be achieved during daylight hours, but also by night.
Due to the size of the Osprey, some of the training undertaken during RIMPAC had been recovering and launching, taking off and landing, to different spots on Canberra’s flight deck by day and night to ensure a greater capability between the two navies.
The two Ospreys, with their distinctive tilt rotors, and their teams embarked for the three-week tactical sea phase of RIMPAC.
HMAS Canberra has the capacity for four LLCs which can assist in large-scale humanitarian assistance and disaster relief tasks.
The craft also has the ability to project embarked personnel, vehicles and aircraft ashore in support of joint exercises.