Author Description

Our national and regional strategic environment continues to impose considerable expectations and demands on the Royal Australian Navy. These demands see our ships and people facing increasing pressure from tighter programs and ever-increasing work-loads. This was very evident for the Officers and Sailors of HMAS Perth who all committed themselves fully to achieving the ship's mission and supporting tasks throughout 2016. At the beginning of the year, the ship emerged from an intensive, and intrusive, docking and maintenance period to progress through a safety evaluation and certification (Mariner Skills Evaluation), as well as sea-trials (Systems Qualifications Trials). A demanding Mission Readiness Work-Up and Evaluation then followed. Once these important milestones were achieved, HMAS Perth was declared 'Ready' to deploy under Operation Manitou as the Royal Australian Navy's 63rd Rotation to the Middle East Region.This book represents all of our trials, tribulations, hardships and successes; it captures the year that was 2016 - this is Perth.