Indian Naval Expansion Maritime - Navy League of Australia

CANTERBURY continued patrolling off shore near
Suai. to maintain surveillance of the area and provide
support to the New Zealand troops while they extend their
operations in the Suai region.
••••
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
The Singaporean LST RSS EXCELLENCE pulling away from Darwin's Fori
Hill Wharf. (RAN)
On arrival TE KAHA assumed the duties of Dili
Guardship. ENDEAVOUR, initially anchored off Dili,
before beginning a shuttle service between Dili and Darwin
of the fuel necessary for INTERFET forces to carry out
their operations. A typical run saw her deliver 24 bags of
mail. 38 pallets of stores. 150 tonnes of aviation fuel and
2.200 tonnes of diesel to INTERFET and then conducted
two underway replenishments with coalition combatants.
On 24th September TE KAHA departed for the Persian
Gulf, prior to the arrival on 28 September of the Leanderclass
frigate HMNZS CANTERBURY.
CANTERBURY was quick to make her presence felt.
Her first duty was to escort TOBRUK to Dili from the
Wetar Strait. She then relieved GLASGOW as Guardship.
patrolling the approaches to Dili and providing close
protection to the replenishment ships anchored offshore
while her Seasprite helicopter was tasked with
reconnaissance patrols along the shoreline and coastal
waters.
Shortly afterwards CANTERBURY escorted LABUAN
to a landing site close to the border with West Timor.
Other duties included monitoring Indonesian naval
vessels withdrawing Indonesian troops from East Timor
The French LPD FNS SIROCO
(RAN)
and the escort of a Philippines merchant ship and the
Singaporean LST RSS EXCELLENCE as they departed
East Timor waters for yet another logistics mission.
The Royal New Zealand Navy is relatively small in
terms of ships but its people are famous for their big hearts.
It has made a significant commitment to the East Timor
operation, and looks as if it is settling in for the long haul.
• .jasse- •
The RAN Catamaran HMAS JERVIS BAY. Each trip made by the big cat is
equivalent to IOC-130 Hercules transports. (RNZN)
Kiwi Amphibious Operation
Monday 19 October saw a Kiwi amphibious landing at
Suai. in East Timor as New Zealand troops and equipment
poured ashore, covered by the frigate CANTERBURY.
"It was a unique joint operation for Ihe NZDF." said
Major Bede Fahey. NZ media support officer in Dili. "This
series of beach landings at Suai was the largest over the
shore operation for New Zealand forces since WWII".
The New Zealand troops in East Timor were being
established in the Suai area, where the whole of their
battalion is based. Victor Company arrived in their new
operational area from a landing craft, covered by an
Australian frigate. But the bulk of the heavy equipment
arrived in a larger scale amphibious landing. The whole
operation began at midnight Sunday and has continued
through to Tuesday as the array of vehicles and equipment,
including 15 APCs. 25 Landrovers 14 Unimog trucks and
47 container loads of equipment, which left Wellington in
the chartered merchant ship EDENGRACHT. were
delivered ashore.
The equipment was 'crossdecked' from the merchant
ship to HMAS TOBRUK in Darwin. That process was in
itself a complex logistics operation for the military staff in
Darwin, since the stores and equipment had to be checked,
prioritised and made ready to be driven directly ashore
from the landing craft.
Escorted by the frigate CANTERBURY. TOBRUK
then sailed direct for Suai. with another 60 soldiers from
the battalion onboard. Two heavy landing craft. HMA
Ships BALIKPAPAN and BRUNEI were assigned to the
operation, to transfer the vehicles from TOBRUK to shore.
TOBRUK can also beach, but in these operations the big
amphibious ship remains at anchor and transfers vehicles
via her stern ramp, which forms a precarious-looking
bridge to the bow ramp of the smaller landing craft.
Escorting TOBRUK. and guarding the landing area was
the Kiwi frigate HMNZS CANTERBURY, whose
surveillance radars and communications systems ensured
that the force would remain under full control of the
INTERFET commander, while also protecting the
amphibious ships from the unexpected. By the end of
October the whole of the New Zealand Battalion was
ashore, accompanied by the first of the Canadian and Irish
troops who are to be attached to the battalion in Suai.
The United States forces deployed to the Coalition Naval
force have conducted their operations with little fuss or
publicity. When the decision was taken for INTERFET
forces to deploy into East Timor the TICONDEROGAclass
cruiser MOBILE BAY was en route Australian waters
to participate in Exercise CROCODILE 99. As soon as the
American participation was agreed the ship was ordered to
Darwin where she arrived in mid-September. She sailed for
Dili on 18 September and was soon involved with
Guardship and patrol and surveillance duties. She departed
the area on 8th October.
Shortly after the arrival of the coalition forces the
KILAUEA-class ammunition ship USNS KILAUEA
joined them. KILAEUA conducted logistics support
operations until 5th October when she was relieved by the
SIRIUS-class combat stores ship USNS SAN JOSE.
The Italian LPD SAN GIUSTO at anchor in Dili Harbour. (RAN)
On 29th September US Secretary of Defence. William
Cohen advised the Australian Government that the
TARAWA-class amphibious assault ship USS BELLEAU
WOOD would provide heavy lift capabilities with its
CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters. These would lift heavy
equipment into the mountainous interior of East Timor
where INTERFET was having problems with lifting
such items.
BELLEAU WOOD, and later PELELIU. were good
choices for humanitarian purposes as they each provided a
flight deck capable of handling 10 helo movements
simultaneously and a 300-bed hospital.
BELLEAU WOOD arrived on 8th October and on 12th
October commenced operations. The arrival of such large
ships created much enthusiasm among the local East
Timorese, many of whom turned out daily to cheer their
favourite helicopters as they got on with the job of
resupplying the ground forces. The LHAs also landed a
party of naval tradesmen to establish the US Command
Post ashore.
HMAS TOBRUK's Sea King helicopter from 817 Squadron in Nowra hovers
above the vehicle deck, as marshallers guide the pilot towards their cargo.
(LEUT Emma Williams).
It is interesting to note that the mission is so routine to
the Americans that no mention is even made of it on the US
Navy web site. Truly, the Americans may call themselves
"the Quiet Achievers."
First Super Stallion Helo
Operations For RAN
In a number of firsts for the Royal Australian Navy. HMAS
TOBRUK conducted helicopter operations with the United
States Super Stallion CH-53 helicopters. On 23rd October
off the coast of Suai. on East Timor's southern coast near
the border. HMAS TOBRUK conducted lift operations
with a Super Stallion from the 11 Marine Expeditionary
Unit from USS BELLEAU WOOD.
With a lift capability of over 16 tonnes, the Super
Stallion made light work of twenty-five ISO containers on
the vehicle deck of HMAS TOBRUK. Within seven hours
the Super Stallion had carried each of the containers
ashore, the heaviest weighing 22.660 lbs or 10.300 kg.
In a total lift of 504.816 pounds, the Super Stallion has
able to supply the New Zealand and Canadian forces
ashore in Suai with a wide variety of items including
generators, tents, catering equipment, workshop
equipment, jerry cans, rations packs, sandbags, stretchers,
trunks, plus defence and general stores.
HMNZS CANTERBURY passes the stem of the US LHA USS PELELIU
(RNZN)
6 VOL. 62 NO. I THE NAVY
THE NAVY VOL. 62 NO I 17