Royal Australian Navy Conducts Triton Furry Exercise

The banter of voices that can be heard over head-sets and loud speakers begins; “Air warning red, aircraft at 40 miles, not responding to warnings.”

The guns crews lean back at their gun mounts, clad in anti flash hoods and gloves, waiting on the command to engage. “30 seconds time on top, all positions, brace, brace, brace!”

HMAS Warramunga (Commander Michael Turner) is battling the fictitious Avalonian forces as part of their Unit Readiness (UR) training in the West Australian Exercise Area.

Exercise TRITON FURY is the third of four exercises in the TRITON series, with the clear goal of providing collaborative training to the Fleet.

One of the primary aims of TRITON FURY is the conduct of Warramunga’s in-company UR training period.

Paul Farrar is the Chief Petty Officer Bosun onboard Warramunga and says that his role onboard ranges from supervising guns crews through to overseeing seamanship evolutions.

“I just love being at sea,” he said.

“I joined to go to sea, so any chance I get, I take a sea posting.”

“This training period is hard work for a few weeks, but every workup is different so I never get bored. Its good training value and once we have passed this we deploy for an international exercise later this year, which is very exciting.”

Warramunga’s five week UR period will culminate in a Unit Readiness Evaluation, a 24 hour period where the ship and her crew will be tested in every major warfare, damage control and seamanship evolution. Commanding Officer Warramunga, CMDR Michael Turner said that the completion of Warramunga’s URE will ensure that the ship’s company has all the skills and training necessary for the tasks the ship will be assigned to.

“After the ship’s URE, Warramunga will be ready to deploy to south-east Asia for three international exercises alongside other RAN and foreign Navy ships,” he said.

“Deployments are always a good opportunity for the crew to band together and use their training. We use the full range of our skills when we deploy away from Australian waters, exercising with allied Navies or even in an operational area.”

Exercise TRITON FURY is taking place off the West Australian coast between 22 August and 9 September and involves three frigates, one replenishment ship and one submarine.

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Source: navy, September 7, 2011;