May 2012, Issue 166 - Royal New Zealand Navy

FLEET PROGRESS
HMNZS ENDEAVOUR
END prepares to go under
tow from TE KAHA.
WORK-UP
After ending 2011 with maintenance and a
small stint of harbour training, ENDEAVOUR
stepped into 2012 ready to meet her first
challenge of the year in the form of a
Shakedown week and Work Up (WUP) 2012.
January involved intensive harbour training
including damage control, sea survival and
weapons handling; in order to refresh Ship’s
Company skills for the upcoming deployment.
On 7 February ENDEAVOUR sailed from
Auckland for a brief shakedown period which
also saw the first Replenishment at Sea of an
Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMNZS WELLINGTON.
On Thursday 9 February ENDEAVOUR departed
NZ waters in a transit across the Tasman Sea,
making way for the Eastern Australia Exercise
Area (EAXA), all the while being put through the
paces with the Maritime Operational Evaluation
Team (MOET) embarked. The passage created
good training opportunities for the crew and
enabled MOET sufficient time to work with the
ENDEAVOUR team in a coaching role.
After making our way across the ditch,
ENDEAVOUR arrived at the Naval Fuel
Installation in Sydney on Tuesday 13 February
to embark cargo fuel, before returning to
sea to meet with a Task Group comprising of
HMNZS TE KAHA and several Australian ships.
ENDEAVOUR refuelled TE KAHA before going
alongside in Fleet Base East, Sydney on Friday
17 February. The weekend alongside was the
commencement of harbour damage control
assessments for the WUP, although some did
get the chance to get out and see the sights of
the city; the opera house, harbour bridge, and
of course a taste of the night life.
ENDEAVOUR made her way back out the
following Monday to the EAXA to commence
part one of Exercise TRITON STORM.
This involved ENDEAVOUR and TE KAHA
working in company with HMAS BALLARAT
and NEWCASTLE (frigates) and HUON and
YARRA (mine hunters). The serials gave
several young Officers of the Watch the
opportunity to get involved in anti-air and
anti-submarine warfare, flying and boat
operations, breakdown exercises, minefield
transits and even acting as the crew of “MV
FULK CHAV” in order for TE KAHA to exercise
her boarding party organisation.
After another weekend alongside Sydney,
ENDEAVOUR sailed to the Western Australian
Exercise Area (WAXA), through Bass Strait
and crossing the Great Australian Bight. The
TRITON STORM scenario continued to build
for ENDEAVOUR as ‘hostile’ activity in the area
grew. The arrival of HMAS COLLINS provided a
real time view of a submarine in action as she
circled the Task Group. This concluded part
one of TRITON STORM and the task group then
made its way into Fleet Base West (FBW). This
was the opportunity, after working alongside
the Aussies all week, to go against them with a
sports day, held at the excellent sports facilities
of FBW. All ships involved with TRITON STORM
went head to head in volleyball, basketball,
touch, soccer, golf, water-polo and tug o’ war.
Golf was trumps for ENDEAVOUR placing
third.
ENDEAVOUR continued to exercise with
the RAN vessels with the addition of SIRIUS,
WARRAMUNGA and Fighter Jet Squadrons as
part two of Exercise TRITON STORM. After a
stopover in Hobart she will return to Auckland
to conduct maintenance and preparations for
international Exercise RIMPAC in the vicinity
of the Hawaiian Islands.
24 NT165april-may12
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