Big guns still deployed in China’s back yard

The Royal Australian Navy is conducting a regional deployment across Southeast Asia from July to October 2020 with HMA Ships Hobart, Stuart, Arunta and Sirius.

CAPTION: HMAS Hobart conducts a live-fire training exercise with her 5-inch gun during Regional Presence Deployment 2020. Photo by Leading Seaman Christopher Szumlanski.

Defence says the deployment demonstrates Australia’s enduring commitment to the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific and to sustaining strong and positive defence relationships with regional nations.

During the deployment, Royal Australian Navy ships conducted multilateral exercises with warships from Singapore, Brunei and the United States before sailing to Hawaii to participate in Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2020.

Following RIMPAC, Hobart, Stuart, Arunta and Sirius returned to the western Pacific for further engagements, including with Japan’s JS Kaga in the South China Sea.

All parts of the deployment are being conducted in accordance with COVID-19 safety measures.

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