Royal Australian navy ship visits Da Nang
DNO - The Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Toowoomba arrived at the Tien Sa Port on Saturday, beginning a four-day friendly visit to the central city of Da Nang. The visit aims to strengthen defense cooperation between Vietnam and Australia.
During their stay in the city from March 28 to 31, officers and crew members of HMAS Toowoomba will pay courtesy calls on leaders of the Da Nang People’s Committee and the Naval Region 3 Command.
In addition, they will take part in sports exchanges and community activities, as well as explore local culture.
Colonel Alana Burkitt, Australia’s Defence Attaché to Vietnam, noted that defense cooperation between the two countries has developed strongly since 1999.
Notable initiatives include practical activities such as English-language training for more than 5,000 officers of the Vietnam People’s Army and support for participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Significantly, this visit comes shortly after Vietnam’s ship 016-Quang Trung visited Australia, where it took part in the Kakadu Exercise and the International Fleet Review marking the 125th anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy.
The official visits of naval ships from both countries highlight increasingly close bilateral defense ties, especially following the upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024.
The visit further reaffirms Australia’s commitment to maintaining a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region.
HMAS Toowoomba is an Anzac-class guided missile frigate. It is capable of performing a wide range of missions, including air defense, anti-submarine warfare, surface combat, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
The vessel has a displacement of over 3,500 tons, measures 118 meters in length, and is equipped with modern weaponry, including Evolved Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles, Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles, a 127mm naval gun, torpedo launch systems, and the capability to carry an MH-60R Seahawk multi-role helicopter.