Osprey First Time at Sea on HMAS Canberra

Royal Australian Navy, July 31, 2022 - PACIFIC OCEAN by RAN Lieutenant Nancy Cotton – Royal Australian Navy landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra (L02) embarked two MV-22B Osprey military aircraft onboard and successfully moved the Osprey off the flight deck into the hangar for the first time at sea during Rim of the Pacific 2022.

The MV-22B's will operate from Canberra for the duration of RIMPAC in another first for the ship. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans.

RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

HMAS Canberra has embarked two MV-22B Osprey Military Aircraft and their crew onboard, flying onto the deck during the first week of the sea phase of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022.

The aircraft are onboard for the duration of the tactical phase and are one in many types of helicopters to land and take off from Canberra’s flight deck during the exercise.

A team of staff from the Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Trials Unit (AMAFTU) have embarked for RIMPAC and, in a first for Canberra, the aircraft have been moved and stowed onboard.

Australian Army Major David Ellson said what the unit is achieving has taken some work by AMAFTU to get to this point but is important for future capability and a great achievement to see.

“This is the first time at sea we have taken a MV-22B down from the flight deck onto the elevator lift and into the hangar,” Major Ellson said.

“It all forms part of the trials for AMAFTU to enable coalition aircraft to routinely embark on our ships.

“The evolution to move and stow the MV-22B involved approximately ten crew and provided an opportunity for AMAFTU and the MV-22B crew to observe which is what this phase of RIMPAC is about, the interchangeability between Australia and coalition nations such as the United States.

Canberra has not only embarked the two aircraft but their pilots, ground crew and maintainers. The 25 members are living onboard and integrating into life with fellow Aussies.

The exercises onboard with the MV-22B’s will identify how Australian landing helicopter docks can support the aircraft for extended periods of time.

“By having the Osprey’s crew onboard they can undertake maintenance and we can see what our endurance is to support the aircraft for short, medium and longer term embarkations,” Major Ellson said.

“Moving and stowing the Osprey was done at a careful slower pace with our Canberra crew working alongside the Osprey crew as it’s a big aircraft and the crews have not done this at sea, we needed to ensure the aircraft could be stowed inside the ship and achieved safely.

“It’s good to see this being accomplished and was a great moment for all those involved, it’s always a sense of achievement to be involved in a ‘first’ for the ship.”

HMAS Canberra will continue to conduct air operations at sea with international partners and allies as part of RIMPAC 2022.

Canberra’s Lucky Red Lions strengthen Australian, U.S. capability

US Marine Corps - United States Marines from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 (VMM-363) embarked in Royal Australian Navy Landing Helicopter Dock HMAS Canberra (L02) conducted pre and post flight maintenance on their MV-22B Osprey Aircraft during Rim of the Pacific 2022. Two MV-22B from VMM-363 are operating from HMAS Canberra for the duration of RIMPAC 2022.

When two MV-22B Osprey Aircraft and their pilots embarked in HMAS Canberra for Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, they brought with them the Lucky Red Lions.

Twenty-five members from the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 “Lucky Red Lions” (VMM-363) have spent three weeks onboard living and working with fellow Aussies in Australia’s Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) Canberra for the sea phase of the exercise.

The teams are testing capabilities, from launch and recovery of the aircraft through to maintenance and stowage in LHD’s hangar.

United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant (SSGT) Jason Bradtmueller is one of the crew embarked and has a dual role as a crew chief and mechanic onboard.

“Essentially my team are testing the facilities in Canberra to make sure that for any future opportunities to embark our aircraft and crew we can continue to conduct maintenance in a safe and successful manner,” Bradtmueller said.

Canberra have achieved some significant firsts with the MV-22B during RIMPAC, the embarkation of the aircraft and crew being one and more notably for Bradtmueller the transfer of the aircraft into the hangar was significant for him.

“The move from the flight deck to the hangar in a foreign ship was a first for me, we needed to make sure we positioned the aircraft safely on the aft lift and then once inside we could manoeuvrer around safely,” he said. “All maintenance we have conducted so far has been a success and a good outcome for Canberra and our team.

“Being onboard we have achieved our required pre and post flight checks and also some heavier maintenance, it’s been good to appreciate what we can achieve here onboard.

The embarkation of coalition partners in Canberra has been mutually beneficial to both crews, understanding how the teams can work interchangeably and what is needed for future embarkations.

For Bradtmueller, it has been an absolute dream to be onboard ‘the Canberra’ and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“The food is great, I think the Aussie living quarters are better and you know what, everyone I have met has just been really happy and has a smile,” he said. “The Aussie team have been so helpful and willing to assist us with everything, there is a real team focus onboard and integrating was easy, it’s just been incredible.”

The Lucky Red Lions will continue to operate in Canberra for the remainder of RIMPAC, working towards stronger interchangeability between Australia and the United States for future embarkations of the MV-22B Aircraft.

Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.