iscover
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has engaged with advanced airborne anti-submarine warfare platforms as part of a multinational operations exercise.
Working with the United States Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Australian naval officers were given an important opportunity to practice cross-decking exercises.
Between the four nations, aircraft were launched and received onto warships, representing a shared commitment to cooperation and coordination.
“It allows us to operate with many different nations, so in case of an emergency, we can land on them, rely on them to help us out and vice versa,” said aviation warfare officer, Lieutenant Sophie Winterton.
“It helps build our interoperability as a force … it’s a good broadening experience.”
As a wider activity apart from Exercise Balikatan, air assets from nations practised on HMAS Toowoomba, HMCS Charlottetown, JS Ikazuchi, and USS Ashland.
HMAS Toowoomba’s involvement in this activity is critical for Australia’s operational connectivity with allied nations.
Practising passenger/casualty transfers, search and rescue, and force multiplication, ADF aviation technicians and specialists have continued to advance their training in a regional, coordinated capacity.
HMAS Toowoomba’s Flight Commander, Lieutenant Commander Lachlan Badger, said exercises like these are instrumental in ensuring skills and strategies can be applied to a range of situations.
“It helps build our interoperability as a force,” he said.
“Many foreign assets don’t always have helicopters embarked, so if there were a medical evacuation, search and rescue, or man-overboard situation, this type of training allows us to be ready to assist other nations while quickly moving personnel between allied assets.”
Exercise Balikatan is a major multinational defensive exercise between the Philippines and the US, with this being the first time Australian forces have been involved since 2014.
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?
Make Defence Connect a preferred news source on Google.
Click here to add Defence Connect as a preferred news source.
