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Nicholas White
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1 s** a NAVY TODAY * * * SShT: - w ' ; - _. *ss- ' " *.. ** -jr. c v ^ s c - s> - '

2 The Royal Australian Navy Today The Royal A u stra lia n Navy goes i nt o th e s w ith a stren gth unequalled in peacetime. W ith the com pletion o f a ship -build in g prog ram m e in begun in th e sixties, the A u stra lia n Fleet w ill inclu d e o ve r 5 0 ships, in c lu d in g an a irc ra ft ca rrie r, six destroyers, six destroyer escorts, fo u r subm arines, m inesweepers, m inehunters, p atro l boats and v a rious s u p p o rt ships, as w ell as a irc ra ft o f the Fleet A ir Arm. New sh ip s on th e d ra w in g board inclu d e a com ba t su p p o rt ship, w hich w ill replenish Fleet sh ip s w ith a w ide va rie ty o f stores, f uel and a m m u n itio n at sea; a new ocea n o gra p h ic ship and a sm all hydrographic ship. In a d d itio n, th e R.A.N. is u n d e rta kin g a p re lim in a ry design s tu d y fo r a new class o f lig h t d e stro yer a re la tive ly sm all d e stro yer w ith a high to p speed, long range and a n ti-a irc ra ft, anti-subm arine and surface capabilities. Today th e re are over 1 7,0 0 0 o ffice rs and men in th e P erm anent Naval Forces. They serve in ships and shore establishm ents, both in A ustralia and overseas, in c lu d in g V ietn am, w here the R.A.N. has one o f its destro yers servin g w ith the U.S. Seventh Fleet. A N avy h e licopte r flig h t and Navy clearance d ivers are also serving in Vietnam. L e ft D a rin g -c la s s d e s tr o y e r H M A S V A M P IR E. O p p o s ite p a g e H M A S V E N D E T T A ( t o p ) R iv e r c la s s d e s tr o y e r H M A S P A R R A M A T T A ( b e lo w ), Ik a ra a n ti- s u b m a r in e m is s ile la u n c h e d fr o m th e g u id e d m is s ile d e s tr o y e r H M A S P E R T H ( r ig h t ).

destroyers, six destroyer escorts, fo u r subm arines, m inesweepers, m inehunters, p atro l boats and v a rious s u p p o rt ships, as w ell as a irc ra ft o f the Fleet A ir Arm.

4 The Fleet Air Arm Left S kyhaw k fig h te r-b o m b e r launch ed fr o m HM AS MELBOURNE. Top P re p a rin g Skyhawk to r lau n ch in g. Above T ra cker a n ti-subm a rin e a irc ra ft leaves on a p a tro l.

5 This series of pictures shows a Skyhawk landing on HMAS MELBOURNE. Above - the approach and Right the arrest. Note how the tra ilin g hook has pic ked up one of the arrester wires on the deck. HMAS MELBOURNE carries Skyhawk fighter-bom bers, Trac ker anti-subm arine a ircraft and Wessex anti-subm arine helicopters.

Note how the tra ilin g hook has pic ked up one of the arrester wires on the

6 Above left Crowded flig h t deck HMAS MELBOURNE. Above right Wessex helicopter takes o ff from MELBOURNE. Left Tracker ready fo r take-off. Right the R.A.N. carrier and flagship HMAS MELBOURNE on exercise in South-East Asian waters.

Left Tracker ready fo r take-off. Right the R.A.N.

7 Left Tying down Skyhawk on MELBOURNE S flig ht deck. Above Skyhawk pilot. Right Flight deck activities.

8 Ships and Aircraft of the R.A.N. M odernisation of the Royal Australian Navy in recent years has given up-todate ships and aircraft, some of which are shown on these pages. Top (le ft to right) Wessex anti-subm arine helicopter on patrol du rin g exercises with allied ships in the South China Sea; the guided m issile destroyer HMAS PERTH off Vietnam ; Skyhawk approaching for landing at sea; Oberon-class subm arine HMAS OVENS. Left Tracker landing on HMAS MELBOURNE. Right Riverclass destroyer HMAS STUART.

9 Navy in Vietnam the Royal Australian Navy has m ainta ined a destroyer in Vietnam since March, These ships, like HMAS PERTH, pictured here, served with the United States Seventh Fleet and have been used in a variety of roles, including gunfire support, interdiction of enemy coastal supply traffic and escort duties. Right a new gun barrel is fitted to HMAS PERTH at Subic Bay. Below right Enemy shells land close to HMAS HOBART. Both PERTH and HOBART received high U.S. awards for m eritorious service in Vietnam.

including gunfire support, interdiction of enemy coastal supply traffic and escort duties.

10 Also serving in Vietnam are an Australian Navy helicopter flig h t and Navy clearance divers. Above left Iro q u o is h elicopters, w ith R.A.N. crew, used to c a rry a llie d tro o p s in to co m bat areas. Left an R.A.N. sa ilo r a nd a U.S. A rm y specialist com bine skills in m aintaining a h elico p te r engine. Above right R.A.N. clearance divers exam ine a su spect ro cket earm arked fo r disposal. Right C learance d ive r w o rkin g under water. The N avy team is ca lle d upon fo r a va rie ty o f tasks, in c lu d in g u n d e rw a te r e xam in a tion o f sh ip s to check w heth e r th e y have been m ine d by saboteurs.

Right C learance d ive r w o rkin g under water.

11 Men of the Navy Officers and sailors, skilled in a wide variety of tasks, form the backbone of the Australian Navy. Their numbers, as new ships come into service, have clim bed above 17,000. They include seamen, gunners, artisans, technicians, com m unicators and divers. Above left D rum m er on parade. Above H elicopter pilot. Left N avy a p p re n tice u nd e r tra in in g. Right A tric k at the wheel.

They include seamen, gunners, artisans, technicians, com m unicators and divers.

12 Above, left to right Australian sailor in M anila with Filipino friend; Helicopter crew in Vietnam discuss results o f a sortie; Reporting to the bridge. Right Petty O fficer in the troop transpo rt HMAS SYDNEY competes with Arm y m arksm en in target practice on way to Vietnam. Far right Happy in the Service!

13 Navy Ceremonial Left New Q ueen's C olours fo r th e R oyal A u stra lia n Navy. Below left M em bers o f the sh ip 's com pany o f HM AS HOBART a d m ire U.S. N avy U n it C om m endation p rese n te d to th e ship fo r m e rito rio u s service in V ietnam. Below s im ila r aw ard is p rese n te d to C aptain o f HMAS PERTH by C o m m a n d e rin -C h ie f U.S. P a cific Fleet. The U.S. N avy U n it C om m endation has been aw arded o n ly th re e tim e s to o th e r than U.S. ships. Opposite page P a tro l boat HMAS AWARE (to p le ft), M ine h u n te r HM AS CURLEW (b elo w le ft); D estroyer e scort HMAS PARRAMATTA (righ t).

Below s im ila r aw ard is p rese n te d to C aptain o f HMAS PERTH by C o m m a n d e rin -C h ie f U.S. P a cific Fleet. The U.S. N avy U n it C om m endation has been aw arded o n ly th re e tim e s to o th e r than U.

15 Further general information on the Royal Australian Navy may be obtained from the Director of Public Relations, Navy Office, Canberra, A.C.T., Inform ation on Naval careers m ay be obtained from Recruiting Officers in alt capital cities, or from the Director of Naval Recruiting, Navy Office, Canberra, A.C.T., 2600.

Inform ation on Naval careers m ay be obtained from Recruiting Officers in alt

A n d r e w S P o m e r a n tz, M D

T e le h e a lth in V A : B r in g in g h e a lth c a r e to th e u n d e r s e r v e d in c lin ic a n d h o m e A n d r e w S P o m e r a n tz, M D N a tio n a l M e n ta l H e a lth D ir e c to r f