HMAS Arunta departs Darwin on new East Asia deployment

HMAS Arunta sailed from the Port of Darwin on Sunday for a new Asian deployment after an 11-day logistical visit to the Top End.

CAPTION: HMAS Arunta departs Darwin for the six week East-Asian Deployment. Photo by Leading Seaman Jarrod Mulvihill. Story by Lieutenant Gary McHugh.

Arunta, which recently returned to Australia from a three-month overseas deployment, will now spend the next six weeks engaging in the east Asia region.

Commanding Officer Arunta Commander Troy Duggan said the recent eployment saw the ship interacting with various regional partners to enhance Australia’s ability to operate with them.

“Deployments such as this serve as a demonstration of Australia’s ongoing commitment to the region,” Commander Duggan said.

“They also allow us to develop our interoperability and cohesiveness with partner nations.”

Because of the global pandemic, Arunta will only conduct essential logistics visits while deployed.

These visits will be carried out in accordance with strict COVID-19 mitigation methods.

For the past three months, the ship has had a busy schedule, participating in the Regional Presence Deployment across South-East Asia and the Pacific, incorporating the Rim of the Pacific Exercise off Hawaii in August.

Commander Duggan said the ship’s company had performed admirably since leaving their home port of Fleet Base West in mid-June.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the job my crew has done and they have achieved everything, and more, that has been asked of them,” Commander Duggan said.

On completion of the deployment, Arunta will return to Western Australia where the crew will get to enjoy some well-earned respite with families and friends.

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