On a clear autumn afternoon, before a backdrop of Sydney Harbour, HMAS Melbourne departed Fleet Base East this week for a voyage through the Pacific and South East Asian waters.
The Commanding Officer of HMAS Melbourne, Commander Marcus Buttler said he was looking forward to the next few months.
“It’s sad to think about those at home when we sail from Sydney on deployment, but I’m excited about what the ship and crew will achieve on this trip,” he said.
Melbourne will visit locations across the Pacific and South East Asia and exercise with foreign units.
“This will be a terrific opportunity to demonstrate our skills and work closely with regional Navies,” Commander Buttler said.
For the ship’s company, the deployment will provide an opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency, which was recently recognised when Melbourne was awarded the Duke of Gloucester Cup by the Governor-General.
With two months at sea ahead of them, the crew have prepared themselves and their families as best they can for the extended time away.
The ship’s company is looking forward to seeing new sights and engaging in Navy activities in distant locations.
HMAS Melbourne was the first Adelaide Class Guided Missile Frigate to be built in Australia. She was commissioned in 1992.
After 27 years of faithful service to Australia, earning Battle Honours for service in East Timor, the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, Melbourne will be decommissioned in late 2019.
(RAN)