Working alongside Royal Australian Navy forces on the east coast of Australia, disposing of Second World War bombs in
Vanuatu, marching in a street parade in Tonga and surveying areas of the sea floor in Ha’apai has kept the Royal New
Zealand Navy Littoral Warfare Force busy in the South West Pacific for the past eight weeks.A Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB) approaches HMNZS Manawanui during transit to Vanuatu. (Photo/Supplied)
HMNZS Manawanui arrived back at Devonport Naval Base on Wednesday, allowing the crew to take a well-earned break after
the busy deployment.
Commander Yvonne Gray has now led HMNZS Manawanui through two Operation Calypso deployments to the South West Pacific,
and says the highlight of this one was completing the disposal of five 1000lb bombs located in around 20 metres of water
in Port Vila harbour.
Five Maritime Explosive Ordnance Disposal (MEOD) divers from the expeditionary unit HMNZS Matataua used low order
charges to crack the bombs open, filling them with sea water and rendering them safe with minimal disturbance to sea
life and the reef.
“From the planning at Headquarters Joint Forces in New Zealand and at HMNZS Matataua, through to the liaison and cordon
support from the Vanuatu Mobile Force, Vanuatu Police, and the Vanuatu Ports and Harbour Authority, this was an
effective and efficient operation that really demonstrated the team effort between the New Zealand Defence Force and
Vanuatu officials,” said Commander Gray.
Able Rating Nicole Anderson was the lead hydrographer embarked on the ship, working with HMNZS Matataua’s Survey Search
and Rescue (SSR) team to complete a survey of a 41 nautical miles squared area in Ha’apai, Tonga, in just 72 hours.Republic of Fiji Navy and Royal Tongan Navy hydrographers assist with a Remote Environmental Monitoring Unit (REMUS)
(Photo/Supplied)
“We’d been asked by the Government of Tonga to carry out the hydrographic survey, which will improve safety of
navigation after the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano and subsequent tsunami in January 2022. We were
joined by two hydrographers from the Republic of Fiji Navy and one from the Tongan Royal Navy, which gave them some
valuable experience and meant they were part of an important task which will benefit all Pacific nations and mariners
when navigating in and around Tonga.”
The SSR and MEOD teams were just two of the deployable teams who joined HMNZS Manawanui for the operation.
Commander Gray said that Operation Calypso showed the value of the ‘plug and play’ dynamic between HMNZS Manawanui and
HMNZS Matataua.
“At various phases of this operation, we’ve also been joined by the Mine Counter Measures team, Uncrewed Surface Vessel
team and the Littoral Manoeuvre Craft crew, in order to successfully complete distinct operations. This illustrates the
flexibility and significant capability that enables the Royal New Zealand Navy to conduct our tasks and helps inform
what this might look like in our future fleet.”
As the ship’s crew prepares for their short break before their next task, Commander Gray reflects on the moment that
made her proudest during this operation.
“During the celebrations for King Tupou VI’s birthday and the 50th Anniversary of the Royal Tongan Navy I watched the
Ship’s Company interacting with sailors from other navies. They struck just the right balance of professionalism, having
fun and being awesome defence diplomats.
“Operation Calypso is a special one. It gives us the opportunity to work with and for our South West Pacific neighbours,
giving us the ever-important opportunity to learn from each other.”