The Royal Australian Navy has completed a multinational exercise with New Zealand and the US aimed at strengthening cooperation in mine warfare, clearance diving and seabed operations.
Exercise Dugong 2026, which concluded this week in the Jervis Bay region, brought together more than 350 specialist clearance divers from the Royal Australian Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, and US Navy, according to the Australian Department of Defence.
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The activity featured mine warfare, clearance diving, maritime explosive ordnance disposal, military geospatial activities and autonomous underwater vehicle operations in coastal and seabed environments.
The exercise was led by the Royal Australian Navy and included participation from the minehunter HMAS Yarra, New Zealand’s HMNZS Matataua, and eight autonomous underwater vehicles equipped for mine and mine countermeasure tasks.
Exercise director captain Scott Craig said the activity highlighted the need for capable and adaptable forces to operate in complex maritime environments.
Captain Scott Craig said: “Exercise Dugong 2026 provided an important opportunity for us to integrate personnel, technology and capabilities across our partner navies while strengthening our ability to operate together in support of regional maritime security.
“The exercise combined emerging technologies with current mine warfare and clearance diving capabilities, helping ensure we remain prepared to address current and future maritime challenges.”
The commanding officer of HMAS Yarra, lieutenant commander Andy Penfold, said the exercise highlighted the importance of “trust and cooperation” between longstanding partners.
“Exercise Dugong brings together highly skilled sailors, clearance divers and specialist operators from Australia, New Zealand and the United States to train in a challenging environment. The relationships built during exercises such as Dugong are critical. They strengthen trust, improve understanding between our forces and ensure we can operate seamlessly together when required,” he said.
This year’s exercise also coincided with the 75th anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy’s clearance diving capability, marking decades of contributions to maritime and undersea warfare since 1951.
