The Australian Defence Force has deployed a Royal Australian Navy warship to conduct the first regional presence deployment for 2024.
The Anzac class frigate HMAS Warramunga departed its homeport of Sydney on 23 January for a three-month deployment through South and Southeast Asia.
The ship’s embarked MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and the 200-strong ship’s company will participate in a range of exercises, cooperative activities and joint patrols with partner navies.
HMAS Warramunga will also undertake various navy-to-navy engagements during exercises and port visits.
Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Chris Smith, AM, CSM, RAN, said the resumption of regional presence deployments in 2024 continued a long history of successful deployments in support of Indo-Pacific security and relationship building.
“Indo-Pacific deployments demonstrate the Australian Defence Force’s ability to maintain a near continuous presence in the region to support regional security and stability,” Rear Admiral Smith said.
“Australia has maintained a robust program of international engagement with regional nations for decades and these routine deployments demonstrate our resolve for a peaceful, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
This regional presence deployment will conclude in late April.
Since commissioning in 2001, HMAS Warramunga’s combat capabilities, sensors, weapons systems communications technologies and crew facilities have been progressively upgraded to keep pace with rapidly advancing naval technologies and enable interoperability with partner navies.
