23 December 2024
Navy News Editor Chelsea Oakman looks back at five memorable stories from 2024.
First-time pairing loaded with tradition
About 320 ADF personnel joined 28 international partners in Hawaii for RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific), the world’s largest international maritime exercise, from June 27 to August 1. A highlight for the Royal Australian Navy was conducting its first replenishment at sea with the German Navy.
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Farewell to the First Lady of the Fleet
HMAS Anzac, the first of its class, was decommissioned on May 18 after nearly three decades in service. The ship was named in recognition of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp and attended the 90th and 100th remembrance services in Gallipoli.
Commander Barton Harrington said it was an honour to be the final commanding officer of the ship and reminisced on his time at the helm.
“Anzac has served an exceptional tenure and is the hallmark vessel for its numerous operations, deployments and commemorative activities,” Commander Barton Harrington said.
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Standing face to face with the King
Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited Australia from October 18-23, marking the first visit from a reigning monarch since 2011. The ADF played its ceremonial part, on land and water and in the air.
Leading Seaman Emilie Deloraine, from Australia's Federation Guard, was part of the Royal Guard that welcomed the King and Queen to Parliament House. She wasn’t expecting King Charles to stop and have a chat.
“He asked me if I like the Federation Guard,” Leading Seaman Deloraine said.
“I said, ‘Yep, loving it, weather’s great and I’m having a great day’."
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Oscar overboard, crew ready
While on deployment, HMAS Sydney’s crew completed challenging night-time man-overboard drills using their on-board dummy, ‘Oscar’.
Boat coxswain Leading Seaman Blake Chapman was in charge of the rigid-hull inflatable boat during the rescue.
“When we hear the pipe of man-overboard it’s a lot of adrenaline pumping through you as we’re running up ladder bays to get up to the boat deck to launch the RHIB as soon as possible,” Leading Seaman Chapman said.
“Once you hit the water, time slows down, and you’re just looking for Oscar. Once you see him in the water you start racing to him.”
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New missiles change the game
In December, Australia became only the third country in the world to acquire and fire a Tomahawk cruise missile.
With an extended range of up to 2500km, the Tomahawk is a world-class capability, which allows maritime platforms to perform long-range precision strike against land targets.
Australia will acquire more than 200 Tomahawk missiles, which will be deployed in its Hobart-class destroyers and future Navy platforms, including Virginia-class submarines and potentially Hunter-class frigates.
