Exercise Pacific Reach 2019 concludes

Exercise Pacific Reach 2019 has concluded off the coast of Western Australia.

The international submarine search and rescue exercise, held at Fleet Base West and in the Western Australian Exercise Area, involved assets from Australia, Japan, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and the US.

The event included training exercises to help participating nations practice responses in the event of a submarine incident at sea. Each nation’s submarine search, escape and rescue organisations took part in simulated rescues.

This included the Royal Australian Navy submarine, HMAS Sheean, and Republic of Korea Navy submarine, ROKS Lee Sun-sin, successfully transferring personnel while submerged using the James Fisher Submarine Rescue System submersible LR5, with support from rescue units from Japan and the US.

Australia’s Minister for Defence, Linda Reynolds, said: ‘During Exercise Pacific Reach the Royal Australian Navy’s submarine force and our regional partners demonstrated readiness and the ability to respond to the unlikely event of a submarine incident at sea.

‘Joint maritime exercises like Exercise Pacific Reach strengthen the already deep relationship that exists between Australia and our partners.’