SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Two Royal Australian Navy (RAN) vessels, Her Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Anzac (FFH 150) and the HMAS Success (OR 304), docked Thursday morning, April 12, in Subic Bay Freeport as part of a four-day goodwill visit to the Philippines.
The Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (BRP) Emilio Jacinto (PS35) met the two ships off Morong, Bataan province, and escorted them to dock at the Alava Wharf in Subic Bay.
Philippine Navy (PN) Officer-In-Attendance Judith Palamos said the arrival of the Australian Navy in the country “underscores the continuing efforts to further strengthen the ties between our governments and navies (and) fortifies the PN’s firm commitment to maintain good relationship with other navies.”
She said that personnel from the two naval services will conduct confidence-building activities aimed at enhancing maritime understanding and cooperation to further contribute to the promotion of peace and stability through naval diplomacy and camaraderie.
Defense Attaché of Australia to the Philippines Capt. Bradley White and the commanding officers of the two ships, HMAS Success Commanding Officer Grant Zilko and HMAS Anzac Commanding Officer Michael Devine, are scheduled for a courtesy call with Rear Admiral Allan Ferdinand Cusi, who is commander of the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) in San Antonio, Zambales.
Australian and Filipino sailors will also have luncheon aboard the HMAS Anzac, some goodwill games, and a “boodle fight.” A send-off ceremony with customary passing exercise will cap the goodwill visit, which will include a replenishment-at-sea operation with PN personnel invited to board RAN ships for observation.
HMAS Anzac is the lead ship of the Anzac-class frigates in use with the RAN and the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Entering Australian service in 1996, the frigate operated as part of the INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce in 1999. In 2003, she was involved in the Battle of Al Faw, and became the first RAN ship to fire in anger since the Vietnam War.
HMAS Success is a Durance-class multi-product replenishment oiler serving in the RAN.
The ship is part of the Australian contribution to the 1991 Gulf War, and was deployed to East Timor in response to incidents in 1999 and 2006.