Stalwart support for Indo-Pacific partners

For more than a month, HMAS Stalwart has been serving in the South China Sea, enabling the Royal Australian Navy and regional partners to carry out their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

CAPTION: HMAS Stalwart conducts a replenishment at sea with United States Navy ship Theodore Roosevelt during a Regional Presence Deployment 2026. Photo by Able Seaman Jayden Fahy.

During her deployment, Stalwart recently rendezvoused with US Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, executing a replenishment at sea (RAS).

RAS is a critical capability for keeping vessels at sea and operational, allowing ships to refuel and restock supplies without having to return to port.

Completing a RAS with a Nimitz-class carrier is an experience few forget.

At more than 300 metres in length, Theodore Roosevelt was an impressive sight for Able Seaman April Mathysz-Hamblin.

“The first thing that struck me was the size of the aircraft carrier,” Able Seaman Mathysz-Hamblin said.

“I’d seen them in movies before, but seeing one in person was something completely different.

“It was amazing to see all the aircraft lined up on the flight deck.

“It felt a bit like stepping into Top Gun. 

“It’s not something you get to see every day.”

For those on the bridge, a RAS presents a routine but dangerous activity, requiring careful planning and masterful execution – a careful balance between navigation, ship handling and logistical planning.

“For officer-of-the-watch Lieutenant Dominic Benzie, the sight alone presented an additional challenge.

“It took a lot of concentration on the task at hand and to not get distracted by the sheer number of aircraft sprawled across the deck,” Lieutenant Benzie said.

“The RAS evolution ran very smoothly [though].”

This RAS was only the most recent activity for Stalwart, with the Australian auxiliary oiler replenishment ship partaking in a number of regional exercises and supporting Theodore Roosevelt’s Carrier Strike Group 9.

Lieutenant Commander Adam Powell, Stalwart’s navigating officer, found the experience greatly rewarding.

“It’s been great experience working with the wide array of ships over the last four weeks and building our collective experience – from replenishing HMS Tamar during Exercise Bersama Lima to working with Carrier Strike Group 9, it’s clear we’re working with peers who are expert mariners and ship handlers,” Lieutenant Commander Powell said.

HMAS Stalwart will continue on her regional presence deployment, representing Australia and continuing her support for allied vessels in the region.

.

.


.


.