Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class submarine HMAS Sheean returned home to Fleet Base West after almost three months of operations in the Indo-Pacific.
The navy did not reveal which exercises the submarine joined and how many port visits the crew made. The only known port visit was the one to Malaysia, which took place in July.
Commodore Buckley, who exercised operational control of Sheean throughout the deployment, is also a previous Commander of the Submarine Force.
“It’s been a few years since I stood here to welcome back one of our boats, and I am delighted to be here today,” he said.
“HMAS Sheean performed exceptionally well in their recent theatre deployment.
“The deployed presence of RAN submarines in the Indo-Pacific underpins their vital role as the national maritime strategic deterrent capability.”
Commander Submarine Force Captain Geoff Wadley also acknowledged the importance of an effective submarine force and noted the hard work put into the submarine enterprise by both military and civilian organizations.
“It’s been a busy year for our boats, which has resulted in significant submarine activity around Australia and overseas,” he said.
“It’s important and gratifying to see everyone in the submarine community, no matter what they do, contribute to providing Australia with a potent and reliable submarine capability.”