Royal Australian Navy Anzac Class frigate HMAS Stuart hosted personnel from the Indian Navy during the ship’s visit to Visakhapatnam, India, during Exercise Malabar.
The tour first showcased the forecastle of Stuart, with members from the weapon electrical engineering department answering questions about the ship’s 5-inch gun before the Indian Naval personnel were invited to Stuart’s bridge.
On the bridge, a short presentation was provided on the navigation and propulsion systems fitted to Stuart as an Anzac-class frigate.
“It was a great experience talking about and showing off my workspace on board HMAS Stuart,” Sub-Lieutenant Joshua East said.
“Exercises like this allow for mutual learning and understanding of the ways each nation operates at sea and alongside, and it was interesting to see how similarly we do things.”
The tour concluded with a showcase of Stuart’s embarked MH-60R Seahawk helicopter where aircrew and aircraft maintainers described aspects of the aircraft.
Crossdeck activities provide a unique opportunity for Australia and partner navies to exchange knowledge about each other’s platforms and standard practices. They also give members of HMAS Stuart the chance to showcase their training and understanding of their work stations.
