USN Midshipmen Train aboard HMAS Parramatta

For three weeks in July and August, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Anzac Class frigate HMAS Parramatta hosted two United States Navy (USN) Midshipmen as part of a foreign exchange program between Chief of Navy, and the Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy.

The USN Midshipmen arrived on Parramatta soon after the ship returned to Australia following a South West Pacific deployment in support of Operation SOLANIA.

Both midshipmen are posted to different Battalions, but belong to the same Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) which is a program that sponsors high school graduates through university in exchange for a Return of Service Obligation.

During their time onboard Parramatta, they had the opportunity to work alongside members of ship’s company.

They toured the engineering spaces, becoming familiar with the gas turbine and diesel engines that power the ship.

They were also exposed to weaponry such as the 5-inch gun, the Vertical Launch System, and communication systems.

The highlight of the midshipmen’s Australian naval education was the opportunity to be on the bridge during Surface Combatant Navigational Course, which featured some very technical high speed maneuvers and precise navigation through the Whitsunday Islands.

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