HMAS STIRLING, Western Australia, Australia (Aug. 22, 2024) – Sailors assigned to the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776) prepare to moor at HMAS Stirling, Western Australia, Australia, as part of a scheduled port visit before conducting a submarine tendered maintenance period (STMP) with the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), Aug. 22. Emory S. Land is in port at HMAS Stirling to conduct the STMP as part of AUKUS Pillar 1’s effort to support Australia’s acquisition of a sovereign conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Victoria Mejicanos)
HMAS Broome enters Darwin harbour for the last time prior decommissioning in Darwin, NT. Photo: LSIS Ernesto Sanchez
Royal Australian Navy Armidale Class patrol boat, HMAS Broome (II), has entered Darwin harbour for the last time ahead of its official decommissioning laster this month.
HMAS Broome (II) also made a final pitstop in its namesake town of Broome in northern WA before it’s official decommissioning in Darwin on August 29.
The patrol boat, built by Austal Ships in Western Australia, was commissioned in February 2007 as a contributor to the nation’s fisheries protection, immigration, customs and law enforcement operations alongside Australian Border Force.
The Armidale Class was designed to intercept and apprehend vessels in a greater range of sea conditions than the earlier patrol boat classes, and form the primary enabler of Australian Defence Force contribution to Operation Sovereign Borders
“More than 17 years later, the boat’s final visit was another joyous affair, with the crew enjoying Broome’s sights and literally getting their skates on to engage with local youth,” according to a public statement made by the Shire of Broome.
On Friday , August 2, four crew members including the HMAS Broome Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Christopher Wardle visited The Skill Engineer program, which helps young people raise their literacy and numeracy and embark on vocational activities that can be linked to future career pathways.
“The sailors spoke with some of the program participants about life in the navy and the trade training opportunities they have received, They then toured the workshop where they were particularly impressed with the e-scooters the participants build for themselves.
“As well as teaching the young people new skills, the e-scooters provide transport for them to attend job interviews and get to job placements or employment.
August retirement: HMAS Broome (II) makes final journey before decommissioning
Naval
16 August 2024
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By: Robert Dougherty
HMAS Broome enters Darwin harbour for the last time prior decommissioning in Darwin, NT. Photo: LSIS Ernesto Sanchez
Royal Australian Navy Armidale Class patrol boat, HMAS Broome (II), has entered Darwin harbour for the last time ahead of its official decommissioning laster this month.
HMAS Broome (II) also made a final pitstop in its namesake town of Broome in northern WA before it’s official decommissioning in Darwin on August 29.
The patrol boat, built by Austal Ships in Western Australia, was commissioned in February 2007 as a contributor to the nation’s fisheries protection, immigration, customs and law enforcement operations alongside Australian Border Force.
The Armidale Class was designed to intercept and apprehend vessels in a greater range of sea conditions than the earlier patrol boat classes, and form the primary enabler of Australian Defence Force contribution to Operation Sovereign Borders
“More than 17 years later, the boat’s final visit was another joyous affair, with the crew enjoying Broome’s sights and literally getting their skates on to engage with local youth,” according to a public statement made by the Shire of Broome.
On Friday , August 2, four crew members including the HMAS Broome Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Christopher Wardle visited The Skill Engineer program, which helps young people raise their literacy and numeracy and embark on vocational activities that can be linked to future career pathways.
“The sailors spoke with some of the program participants about life in the navy and the trade training opportunities they have received, They then toured the workshop where they were particularly impressed with the e-scooters the participants build for themselves.
“As well as teaching the young people new skills, the e-scooters provide transport for them to attend job interviews and get to job placements or employment.
“On Friday evening, about a dozen crew members visited the PCYC Roller Disco held in conjunction with the Shire’s A Sporting Chance youth diversionary program.
“They were quickly kitted out with skates to help some of the children find their feet. though in some cases the kids had to return the favour.
“Lieutenant Commander Wardle said it was a privilege to engage with both programs and to continue the bond between HMAS Broome and the Broome community on the boat’s final visit prior to decommissioning.”
In addition, HMAS Broome (II) is also famous for taking a starring role in 2008 as one of two patrol boats used as the fictional HMAS Hammersley on the Channel 9 television drama, Sea Patrol.
The decommissioning follows a similar farewell to HMAS Melville, which was decommissioned in Cairns on August 8.
Across 24 years of service, Melville steamed 575,808 nautical miles, contributed over 32,000 nautical miles of surveying and visited more than nine countries.
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG-105) and the French Navy Aquitane-class frigate FS Bretagne (D-655) sail together during bilateral operations in the Philippine Sea, Aug. 13, 2024. US Navy Photo
French Navy frigate FS Bretagne (D655) is carrying out the second phase of its Indo-Pacific deployment starting with drills with the U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) after conducting a crew swap in Japan. Meanwhile, submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) is preparing to carry out a joint maintenance effort with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine when it arrives in Australia, as part of AUKUS Pillar 1.
Bretagne deployed from France in May to participate in the Rim of the Pacific 2024 (RIMPAC 2024) exercise, carrying out drills with India and taking part in exercises Balikatan and Valiant Shield while enroute to Hawaii.
During RIMPAC 2024, the frigate carried out 23 hours of underwater warfare exercises, seven anti-aircraft warfare exercises, a gun exercise, two days of war-at-sea exercise and three replenishment-at-sea operations, according to a French Navy release.
Following the conclusion of its participation in RIMPAC 2024 on July 23, Bretagne carried out a patrol in the North Pacific Ocean “contributing to the autonomous assessment of the situation in this region and demonstrating the attachment of France, a sovereign nation bordering the Indo-Pacific, to freedom of navigation,” stated the French Ministry for Armed Forces in its update of operations.
The frigate arrived in Yokosuka, Japan, on Aug. 4, conducted a crew swap on Aug. 7 and then departed on Aug. 11 with the new crew conducting preparatory training prior to drills with the U.S. Navy and JMSDF.
On Tuesday, Bretagne and destroyer USS Dewey (DDG-105) conducted bilateral operations in the Philippine Sea, reads a U.S. statement.
“The U.S. 7th Fleet takes regular steps to advance our interoperability with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, as we did during this week’s bilateral operation with our longstanding French Navy allies,” said Vice Adm. Fred Kacher, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, in the release.
The ships conducted formation sailing, combined communication and simulated refueling at sea, according to the release.
On Wednesday, Bretagne carried out drills in the Philippine Sea with JMSDF destroyer JS Murasame (DD-101). “The JMSDF and the French Navy are deepening defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, including regular bilateral exercises (OGURI-VERNY), as well as enhancing cooperation and coordination in monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels,” read a JMSDF release on the drill.
The French Ministry of the Armed Force and French Navy have not stated how long Bretagne will remain deployed in the Indo-Pacific, though the crew swap indicates the frigate will operate in the Indo-Pacific for a significant period before returning home to France. This mirrors U.S. Navy littoral combat ship deployments to the Indo-Pacific, with a second crew relieving the initial crew that began the deployment.
The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) sits anchored at Ulithi Atoll, Dec. 7, 2019. US Navy Photo
In Australia, U.S. submarine tender Emory S. Land pulled into HMAS Stirling naval base, Western Australia on Friday, marking its seventh port visit in Australia since the ship left its homeport of Guam on May 17, stated a Navy release. The mixed crew of U.S. Navy and RAN personnel will take part in a submarine tender maintenance period (STMP) over the next several weeks as Australian technicians perform maintenance on a U.S. SSN scheduled to arrive for a port visit.
“The STMP marks a significant step toward Australia becoming sovereign-ready to operate, maintain, and support a fleet of conventionally armed SSNs, which is a central requirement in executing Pillar 1 of the AUKUS security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States,” read the release.
More than 30 Australian sailors will conduct the majority of planned maintenance work under the supervision of U.S. personnel, which will include the replacement of a mast in the submarine’s sail and a key hydraulic valve, along with the simulated removal of a large pump weighing more than 3,500 pounds from within the boat, according to the release.
“Both of our navies are benefiting tremendously from the interoperability we’ve been developing during this deployment, and are now better able to support each other’s fleets around the world. This STMP marks the first time that Australian workers will perform maintenance on an American SSN in Australian waters, but it’s really just the next step in a long partnership,” said Capt. Brent Spillner, commanding officer of Emory S. Land, in the release. “This is an important milestone and learning opportunity as we work together to establish Submarine Rotational Force – West, where both U.S. and UK submarines will regularly transit through HMAS Stirling, with maintenance and logistics assisted by Australian personnel, as they develop their own Intermediate-Level Maintenance capability for the eventual Australian SSNs.”
Entering the historic Pearl Harbor naval base: On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the United States Pacific Fleet. As a result, the United States entered World War II.At the end of RIMPACRim of the Pacific In 2024, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will have embarked on the “Baden-Württemberg” for two days. After entering the harbor, he will give a press conference on the ship on 31 July.After the sea phase of RIMPAC, it’s time for follow-up. Here, the German unit commander, Flotilla Admiral Axel Schulz (left), visits the “Princeton” in the harbor and, together with its commander, reviews the maneuver once again.The sea phase lasts four weeks from RIMPAC 2024 around the Hawaiian Islands. Towards the end, the ships will return to Pearl Harbor on July 30. Here is USS Princeton behind the German Baden-Württemberg.From July 8, 2024, the ships gathered at Pearl Harbor will depart for the sea phase of RIMPAC. Here is the flagship of the entire maneuver group, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.Port visits often include formal receptions, here on Frankfurt am Main on 6 July. One of the guests is the commander of the US Third Fleet, Vice Admiral John F.G. Wade (center) leads the entire large-scale exercise.The first port phase of RIMPAC Independence Day on July 4. The base opens its doors to relatives, there is a colorful program with concerts, open ships and a final fireworks display.For the crews, there is at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, the joint base of USUnited States-Navy and USUnited States-Air Force, including sports competitions. A good opportunity for the many soldiers to get to know each other better.On non-watch days, Germans can explore Oahu and also discover the region’s colonial and missionary history. The Hawaiian Mission Houses from the 19th century in the middle of the metropolis of Honolulu, for example, date from this time.Personal encounters at all levels between the RIMPAC. The 29 partner nations involved are part of the port phase. Here a German and a US helicopter pilot exchanging information on the flight deck of Baden-Württemberg.Many of the RIMPAC personnel took the opportunity to visit Missouri on site, including the Germans from the two naval ships and from the international staff.From their berth, the crew of the German frigate “Baden-Württemberg” has a clear view of the battleship USS Missouri. The World War II veteran, on which Japan officially surrendered on September 2, 1945, is now a museum ship.In Pearl Harbor begins shortly after the arrival of the Germans at RIMPAC 2024. A good half of the 40-ship maneuver group has met here. In the foreground on the right are the two German ships.
