HMAS Perth with Carrier Strike Group 5
Australian officers and sailors joined the nearly 6000-strong US Navy personnel as HMAS Perth operated with Carrier Strike Group 5 (CSG-5) on patrol in the South China Sea.
CAPTION: Commanding Officer HMAS Perth, Commander Dylan White and the bridge team on the upper decks of HMAS Perth as she operates alongside USS George Washington during operations in support of Carrier Strike Group 5 (CSG-5) in the South China Sea. Photo by Leading Seaman Connor Morrison.
After a port visit in Malaysia, Perth joined US Ships George Washington, Robert Smalls and Shoup as CSG-5 operated in the US 7th Fleet area of operations.
During cross-decking opportunities, CO Perth Commander Dylan White met with the CSG-5 commander and other personnel.
Rear Admiral Eric Anduze, Commander of CSG-5 and Task Force 70, said the carrier appreciated the Royal Australian Navy’s involvement.
“Working alongside partner nations, like Australia, reinforces our relationship at sea and advances our shared goals of peace, prosperity and economic security in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.
“The CSG’s capabilities, including the F-35 and Perth’s embarked MH-60R, assisted in upholding freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.”
While escorting CSG-5, Perth’s crew was awed by the F/A-18 Super Hornets and F-35 Lightning IIs roaring through the skies.
CSG-5 consists of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier George Washington, Carrier Air Wing 5 and Destroyer Squadron 15.
Commander White welcomed the opportunity to escort CSG-5.
“This operation has strengthened our interoperability with a vital ally and demonstrated the RAN’s ability to contribute in complex operations,” Commander White said.
The rest of Perth’s deployment will include port visits around the region, operations, exercises and other engagements with Australia’s regional partners.
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