HMAS Ballarat has returned to Fleet Base West in Western Australia after a three-month regional presence deployment throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Regional presence deployments play a vital role in Australia's security and prosperity by enhancing cooperation and relationships with partners and allies, and developing capability to preserve the rules-based international order.
Ballarat sailed about 20,000 nautical miles during her deployment, conducting several patrols and transits through the South China Sea and training with navies from Brunei-Darussalam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States.
Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond said the deployment demonstrated Australia's longstanding commitment to maintaining a near-continuous presence in the region.
"Australia has maintained a robust program of international engagement with countries in and around the Indo-Pacific for decades," Vice Admiral Hammond said.
"Regional presence deployments directly contribute to the security and stability of the region by building trust, mutual understanding and interoperability between partner nations and their armed forces.
"Regional presence deployments leverage the expertise of the ADF and our multinational partners to enhance regional capacity in a dynamic security environment."
Ballarat deployed with an embarked MH-60R helicopter and about 200 crew.
'Deployments require significant commitment from our people and their loved ones.'
Commanding Officer Ballarat Commander Dean Uren said the ship's company had represented Australia with professionalism and pride.
"I am immensely proud of the crew and the way they represented Australia during this deployment," Commander Uren said.
"Deployments require significant commitment from our people and their loved ones.
"We could not do what we do without the love and support of our families ashore, so I am pleased we could return home safe and in time for Christmas."
This was Australia's fourth regional presence deployment for 2025, following Navy's three guided missile destroyers HMA Ships Hobart, Sydney and Brisbane.
The next regional presence deployment will commence in January 2026.
