HMAS Sydney attends third Pacific Dragon
HMAS Sydney conducted integrated air and missile defence activities during Exercise Pacific Dragon in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands from August 6 to 15.
CAPTION: Exercise Pacific Dragon officer of the watch manoeuvres off the coast of Hawaii, with ships that include Spain’s ESPS Álvaro de Bazán, Japan’s JS Kongo, Chile’s CNS Almirante Cochrane, United States’ USS Jack H Lucas, Italy’s ITN Giovanni Delle Bande Nere and Korea’s ROKS Jeongjo The Great. Story by Lieutenant Carolyn Martin. Photo by Leading Seaman Lauren Pugsley.
Pacific Dragon is a biennial multilateral ballistic missile defence and tactical data link information-sharing exercise.
This year marks the third occasion that Sydney has conducted this exercise, following involvement in 2022 and 2024.
HMAS Sydney’s deputy weapons electrical engineer officer Lieutenant Brad Kershaw said the complex scenarios on the exercise provided real-world integrated air missile defence training for Sydney’s crew.
“Exercise Pacific Dragon provided the opportunity for our warfare team to hone their skills and put their training to practice,” Lieutenant Kershaw said.
“By conducting these exercises, we are able to drill our tactics and procedures across complex scenarios in a multinational environment.”
CO Sydney Commander Hayden Jenkins said the exercise enabled Sydney to demonstrate its capability and enhance relationships developed during the ship’s regional presence deployment.
“Exercise Pacific Dragon 26 saw HMAS Sydney work alongside six naval ships, from Chile, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Spain, and the United States of America,” Commander Jenkins said.
“Operating with allies and partners has enhanced Sydney’s interoperability, while demonstrating the ship’s lethality and the crew’s professionalism.
“Exercises like Pacific Dragon ensure that Sydney’s crew can retain the skills and experience necessary to operate the ship’s high-end warfighting capabilities.
“Sydney conducted Pacific Dragon 26 immediately following RIMPAC and the ship will continue to operate across the Indo-Pacific as it progresses a regional presence deployment.”
Commander US 3rd Fleet Vice Admiral Marc Miguez said Pacific Dragon 2026 demonstrated the strength of our alliance and partnerships and our shared commitment to advancing integrated air and missile defence capabilities across the region.
“Through this exercise, our forces are strengthening interoperability, improving information sharing and refining the tactics and procedures necessary to operate together in support of regional security and a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Vice Admiral Miguez said.
The exercise began in 2012 as a biennial, trilateral event between the US Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Republic of Korea Navy.
Pacific Dragon 26 is the eighth iteration of the exercise, which has grown over the years.
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