Australia will proceed to deepen its relationships with India and like-minded regional companions this month by collaborating in Train MILAN 24.
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Press Launch, Canberra, 18 February 2024: Hosted by India from 19-27 February within the port metropolis of Visakhapatnam and the adjoining Bay of Bengal, Train MILAN 24 will deliver collectively roughly 50 nations and round 20 worldwide vessels and plane from throughout the Indo-Pacific and past.
Train MILAN 24 is a key aspect within the Australian Defence Drive’s first regional presence deployment for 2024 and the primary large-scale multilateral train on the Navy’s calendar for the yr. The Australian Defence Drive will probably be represented by the Commander of the Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Chris Smith, AM, CSM, RAN, and HMAS Warramunga, with an embarked MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, which is presently conducting an Indo-Pacific regional presence deployment.
Pursuing the theme ‘Camaraderie, Cohesion, Collaboration’, Train MILAN 24 will function a six-day harbour section providing data sharing, management engagement and a desk high train together with a avenue parade and cultural exchanges. The four-day sea section will comprise superior maritime coaching together with anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare workouts together with giant drive maritime manoeuvres.
Australia’s Joint Drive Maritime Element Commander, Commodore Jonathan Ley, stated the train was essential for constructing worldwide relationships, skilled growth and for Warramunga’s crew to practise working at sea as half of a big multilateral fleet.
“Train MILAN is a crucial biennial coaching exercise for the Indo-Pacific area and helpful for advancing Australia’s place as an Indian Ocean neighbour,” Commodore Ley stated.
“Our participation in Train MILAN 24 will assist deepen Australia’s navy-to-navy relationship with India, present alternatives for naval leaders to ponder shared safety challenges and improve mutual understanding among the many navies of like-minded nations.
“I’m very grateful to the Indian Navy for the chance to once more be part of the rising variety of members in 2024.”
MILAN 24 would be the twelfth version of India’s biennial flagship train, which started with simply 4 nations in 1995. Australia has been a participant since 2003. Australia’s participation in Train MILAN 2024 follows its internet hosting of Indian-owned Train Malabar for the primary time in 2023, which drew collectively naval forces from India, Japan, the US and Australia for workouts in Sydney and the seas off the NSW coast.
HMAS Warramunga departed for its present three-month regional presence deployment in late January and can take part in a number of workouts, cooperative actions and joint patrols with companion navies together with regional port visits.
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Coaching Proves Ship is Prepared for Something
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Press Launch, Canberra, 19 February 2024: Earlier than HMAS Warramunga commenced Australia’s first 2024 Indo-Pacific regional presence deployment, Commanding Officer Commander Jennifer Graham put her crew by means of rigorous coaching to make sure they had been ‘absolutely mission succesful’.
Coaching started in earnest quickly after the Anzac-class frigate sailed from its residence port of Fleet Base East, Sydney, in late January, and continued whereas traversing heavy seas within the Nice Australian Bight. After a logistics go to to Fleet Base West in HMAS Stirling supplied a quick reprieve, the ship’s firm was additional examined in Navy’s Western Australian Train Space within the Indian Ocean off the Western Australian coast.
Coaching coated all elements of recent warship operations, from core maritime expertise resembling navigation, manoeuvring, man-overboard drills and small-boat operations utilizing the ship’s two inflexible hull inflatable boats, by means of to helicopter operations, underway replenishment, firefighting, harm management, small-arms follow, engineering incident response and warfare drills at ‘motion stations’ – the ship’s highest state of alert.
After months of coaching and pre-departure preparations, Commander Graham stated she was assured in her crew’s skills and readiness. “Having loved the Christmas and New Yr break earlier than we departed, the transit round Australia supplied a perfect alternative to deliver the group again in control and put together for the deployment forward,” Commander Graham stated.
Commander Graham stated the crew loved the possibility to coach with sister ship, HMAS Stuart, because it returned to sea for the primary time since finishing the Anzac Midlife Functionality Assurance Program. “Whatever the mission, every time an Australian warship leaves Australian waters it should be mission succesful and prepared for something … and Warramunga definitely is,” Commander Graham stated.
And the laborious work has already been paying off. Since commencing the regional presence deployment, Warramunga has operated in firm with United States Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Protection Drive warships within the South China Sea, visited Singapore and is making ready for additional engagements with regional companions in a variety of maritime warfare workouts and cooperative actions.
Regional presence deployments reveal Australia’s dedication to, and engagement with, the area. The deployments play an important position in Australia’s long-term safety and prosperity by defending Australia’s pursuits, preserving a rules-based order, enhancing cooperation and relationships with regional companions and allies, and growing functionality and interoperability.
The present regional presence deployment will probably be accomplished in late April.
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