Senior leaders and maritime specialists from Australia and the US participated in an area maritime security training and exercise program during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) at Coast Guard Base Honolulu.
Members from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), US Coast Guard, US Navy and a range of local, state and federal US interagency organisations examined a complex maritime homeland defence scenario involving underwater explosive devices discovered within a major US harbour.
During the scenario, all maritime traffic was suspended until the threat could be identified, assessed and neutralised.
Through detailed discussion and collaborative planning, participants explored the command-and-control arrangements, decision-making processes and coordinated military and civil agency response required to safely restore freedom of navigation.
Lieutenant Commander Adam Zilko, RAN, currently posted to the US as the Mine Countermeasures and Maritime Homeland Defence Planner with Mine Countermeasures Group Three, played a key role in facilitating the exercise.
Drawing on his operational expertise in mine warfare and multinational maritime security operations, Lieutenant Commander Zilko provided specialist advice on military planning and naval response options.
He integrated US Navy capabilities with the US Coast Guard and interagency partners to achieve a coordinated whole-of-government response.
‘Safety remains our highest priority because operations involving live mines are inherently hazardous.’
Personnel from US Navy Mobile Unit 11, based in San Diego and participating in the mine countermeasures component of RIMPAC, also presented the results of underwater surveys conducted in Honolulu Harbor during the week preceding the tabletop exercise.
Using unmanned underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles, the team rapidly collected high-resolution underwater imagery and seabed data, highlighting the capability of these systems to search large harbour areas, detect and classify underwater contacts and provide commanders with timely information to support operational decision-making.
Captain Scott Craig, RAN, Commander of the Australian Defence Force Contingent to RIMPAC and Commander Combined Task Force 177, highlighted the value of multinational collaboration in advancing mine countermeasure capability and interoperability.
“Scenarios like this allow us to understand how each nation conducts mine search operations, how we share information seamlessly between partners and how we combine that information to build a common operating picture,” Captain Craig said.
“The real value comes from integrating the data collected by multiple nations to accurately assess the level of risk to maritime traffic.
“Safety remains our highest priority because operations involving live mines are inherently hazardous. Exercises such as this ensure we develop the procedures, relationships and trust necessary to conduct these missions safely and effectively alongside our international partners.”
RIMPAC is the premier joint combined maritime exercise and enables allied nations to strengthen international partnerships, enhance interoperability and improve readiness for a wide range of operations.
