Australian frigate takes part in multi-national exercise

BAB EL MANDEB STRAIT (BNS): A multi-national maritime exercise involving the Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac class frigate, two Turkish naval vessels and French Mirage fighters has concluded in the Gulf of Aden.

Commanded by the RAN’s seventh Anzac class frigate, HMAS Toowoomba, exercise ‘Scimitar Exocet’ held between July 22 and 23, was aimed at contributing to maritime security in the Bab El Mandeb Strait in the Middle East.

F/A-18F Super Hornets will join Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom

Air Force multi-role F/A-18F Super Hornets, Navy guided-missile frigates and a Collins class submarine will join the armed forces of Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom in a major military exercise designed to enhance regional security.

The exercise called BERSAMA SHIELD 2011 (BS11) will bring together the member countries of the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) as they exercise in various locations on the Malaysian Peninsula and in the South China Sea between 2 and 13 May.

ANTI-SHIP MISSILE DEFENCE TRIALS HEAD TO SEA

With little fanfare but great expectations, HMAS Perth (Captain Malcolm Wise) proceeded into the sea-phase of her Anzac Class Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) trials program.

Perth has undertaken major modifications as part of the ASMD upgrade project, SEA 1448 Phase 2, being undertaken by the Defence Materiel Organisation.

Perth completed her initial phase of the upgrade on 14 October last year, with a cold move from the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson to Fleet Base West (FBW).

She underwent her second phase of system set to work and harbour acceptance trials alongside FBW and has since successfully completed Combat Systems Certification and Mariner Skills Evaluation, allowing her to start sea trials on 21 February.

The extensive sea-trials are intended to verify and validate the ASMD capability changes in addition to other modifications that were made to enhance FFHstability, including enclosing the quarterdeck and adding ballast.

ASMD project modifications centre around the Australian designed and built (by CEA Technologies at Fyshwick, ACT) fourth generation leading edge technology active Phased Array Radar, housed in the distinctive cupola that sits atop the aft mast.