Assistant Minister for Defence - Australia and US wrap up mine warfare exercise in WA

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Lieutenant Commander Alex Rayner welcomes Australian and United States personnel participating in Exercise Dugong 2021 (DG21) to a harbour brief held in the Submarine Training and Systems Centre on HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.

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Exercise Dugong 2021 (DG21) has brought together Royal Australian Navy and United States Navy units to exercise a simulated, but potentially realistic, scenario in which they must work cooperatively to keep the Port of Fremantle and Indian Ocean accesses open from an adversary’s offensive mine tactics. DG21 exercises the Navy’s ability to integrate emerging and legacy mine warfare systems, technologies and practices to ensure mine countermeasure capabilities remain steadfastly able to keep shipping lanes and ports safe and open.

The Royal Australian Navy and United States Navy elements have successfully concluded Exercise Dugong 2021 in Western Australia today.

For the past three weeks, specialist Coalition mine warfare units have been exercising in a simulated scenario to test their ability to keep the Port of Fremantle and Indian Ocean accesses open in the event of a hostile action against Australia.

Assistant Minister for Defence, Andrew Hastie said Exercise Dugong had

tested the Coalition’s ability to integrate emerging and legacy mine warfare systems, technologies and practices.

“We live in a region that is at the centre of great power competition, our Indian Ocean approaches are vital sea lanes, and we must be ready to meet our changing strategic circumstances.” Assistant Minister Hastie said.

“Navy’s mine warfare and countermeasure practices are evolving to meet both current and emerging threats,”

“As new weapons and technologies advance, the Royal Australian Navy is working with Industry and coalition partners to test new systems in autonomous and artificial intelligence realms.”

Keeping sea lanes and ports safe and open is critical to the prosperity and security of Australia.

“Keeping Australia’s maritime environment safe in a dynamic strategic environment is critical,” Minister Hastie said.

During Exercise Dugong, Royal Australian Navy units HMA Ships Gascoyne and Yarra, Australian Clearance Diving Teams One and Four, the Maritime Geospatial Unit and specialist mine warfare personnel worked alongside the United States Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Five.

All exercise participants – interstate and international – were subject to all Western Australian State Government public health requirements and completed 14-days quarantine before joining the exercise.