After participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre, the Royal Australian Navy air warfare destroyer HMAS Sydney has started the journey home to Fleet Base East.
Sydney was the only Australian warship that transited as part of the Talisman Sabre double carrier formation with the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by HMS Prince of Wales, and the US Navy's George Washington CSG.
The exercise was a key opportunity for the Hobart-class destroyer to work with vessels and air assets from around the globe.
The ships in company included US Navy's US Ships Robert Smalls and Shoup, Royal Navy's HMS Dauntless and RFA Tidespring, Royal Norwegian Navy's HNoMS Roald Amundsen, Royal Canadian Navy's HMCS Ville de Québec and F-35B Lightning jets, Merlin and Wildcat helicopters.
Commanding Officer Sydney Commander Ben Weller said joining the CSGs was a unique opportunity and a career highlight for many on board.
"There are very few exercises of this scale and complexity, where we operate in the air and sea environment with combined forces this close to home," Commander Weller said.
"It's a good reflection of the closeness of our alliance and strength of our enduring military relationship with our allies, and has been a good reminder that we're never alone at sea."
The exercise marked a significant milestone for the Royal Australian Navy, as it was the first time a RAN destroyer commanded more than 30 air assets from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, a demonstration of the deepening military interoperability between the countries.
Talisman Sabre continues to grow, with 19 nations participating in this year's 11th iteration.
The international exercise was designed to improve combined and integrated training between US and Australian forces, focusing on readiness and interoperability through realistic training needed to conduct high-end multi-domain warfare.
