A Royal Australian Navy (RAN) aviation detachment is ready to put months of preparation into action during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), embarked on board US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer.
Lieutenant Commander Jarrod Huisman, Flight Commander of RAN's Flight 605, has led the Australian detachment during its four-month deployment to Oahu, Hawaii.
Flight 605 integrated with Wayne E. Meyer's crew to learn how to safely and effectively operate on board the destroyer as part of an interchangeability program.
The detachment comprises 21 personnel, including a communication and information systems sailor and a maritime logistics supply chain sailor.
Throughout the deployment, the team has completed extensive integration training, allowing Australian personnel to become fully embedded within the ship's company and conduct aviation operations.
"The Australians have really appreciated being welcomed as part of the ship's company," Lieutenant Commander Huisman said.
"The integration has allowed us to build strong working relationships while developing a thorough understanding of how the US Navy operates its helicopters at sea."
During RIMPAC, the detachment will apply its training across a range of complex maritime operations, including anti-submarine warfare exercises with partner nations.
The team will also conduct a live AGM-114N Hellfire missile engagement against a target hulk, alongside RAN destroyer HMAS Sydney, demonstrating the combined capabilities of Australian and US naval aviation.
Commander Ruben Tapia, US helicopter maritime strike wing Pacific liaison naval officer, has been assigned to the Australian detachment as its observer assessor.
'The integration has allowed us to build strong working relationships while developing a thorough understanding of how the US Navy operates its helicopters at sea.'
Commander Tapia's primary responsibility has been ensuring the safe and effective cooperation between the members of the Australian MH-60R Flight and Wayne E. Meyer's crew.
Acting as the key liaison between the ship and the detachment, he has focused on resolving procedural differences while providing ongoing safety oversight throughout the preparations for RIMPAC.
"Operationally, there have been very minimal challenges," Commander Tapia said.
"There were slight differences in procedures, but they were identified, mitigated and learned from, on day one. It really was just tiny things that are different and weren't difficult to overcome."
After flying with the Australian detachment, Commander Tapia praised the professionalism displayed by the crew.
"I flew with the detachment, and we conducted the standard aviation brief completed before every flight," he said.
"Within that brief, I had no qualms, no issues. We took off, executed a full flight, navigation, swapping controls and everything you'd expect.
"I observed how professionally everything was conducted, and the procedures and safety standards are entirely comparable."
Commander Tapia believes the success of the integration sets a strong foundation for future collaboration between the partner nations.
"I anticipate that future iterations of this program will just go from strength to strength based on everything I've observed from this first experience," he said.
