A team of Navy clearance divers embarked in HMAS Success for Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 has taken the opportunity to strengthen ties with their Sri Lankan Navy counterparts through a joint training initiative.
Conducted at the Sri Lankan Navy Base in Trincomalee on the north-east coast of the island, the training involved a series of theoretical and practical-based activities, and the exchange of ideas based mainly on the disposal of improvised explosive devices.
“By conducting activities such as this, we can see first-hand how the Sri Lankan Navy operates in this field.”
Clearance Dive Team 4 Executive Officer Lieutenant James Leeds said the day provided a valuable opportunity for the two navies to share ideas and experiences in the field of ordnance disposal.
“We conducted a number of important serials with our counterparts from the Sri Lankan Navy,” he said.
“These included demolition serials both on land and underwater, as well as the interchange of IED disposal techniques in a classroom environment.
“By conducting activities such as this, we can see first-hand how the Sri Lankan Navy operates in this field, and likewise they were able to do the same with us; both parties learned a lot from the activities.”
HMA Ships Success and Parramatta were in Trincomalee for four days, during which both ships’ companies participated in a number of official and social engagements with representatives from the Sri Lankan Navy, Army and Air Force.
Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 comprises a series of key engagements with Australia’s regional neighbours, and consists of a Joint Task Force of four ships, maritime patrol aircraft and more than 1000 ADF personnel.
Running from March until May, IPE 19 aims to promote security and stability in the region through bilateral and multilateral engagement, training and capacity-building.
