Philip Smart | Adelaide
Royal Australian Navy Mine Hunter Coastal, HMAS Huon, has put another four mine warfare students through their paces in a series of challenging scenarios played out in Jervis Bay, New South Wales.
In the final sea assessment phase of the Mine Warfare Officers' Course, the trainees undertook navigation lead-throughs, mine disposal vehicle operations and serials utilising Huon’s clearance divers.
Course instructor, Lieutenant Daniel Lister, said the training provides both theory and practical elements, to not only the students but for the entire ship's company, from the Commanding Officer through to junior combat system operators and engineers.
"Conducting mine hunting at sea has given the students exposure to real scenarios one could face, from deconflicting movements to the occasional defect," he said.
"When the students are performing their core role unexpected difficulties can really test their ability to multi task and prioritise," he said. "The students have performed extremely well with excellent support from the team on Huon."
Navy's 12 week Mine Warfare Officers' Course is an intensive program giving officers the skills required to search, identify and dispose of sea mines in both simulated and sea based training. The course consists of a theory phase at HMAS Waterhen followed by a simulation phase conducted in Waterhen’s Combat System Operator Training for six weeks. The final assessment phase is conducted on a Mine Hunter Coastal at sea.