Asia-Pacific
USS Santa Fe trains with four Australian submarines in Indian Ocean
Stars and Stripes
February 19, 2019
Rear Adm. Jonathan Mead of the Royal Australian Navy on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, tweeted this photo of the USS Santa Fe, foreground, training with four Australian submarines in the Indian Ocean. (via Twitter)
Rear Adm. Jonathan Mead of the Royal Australian Navy on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, tweeted this photo of the USS Santa Fe, foreground, training with four Australian submarines in the Indian Ocean. (via Twitter)
The USS Santa Fe, foreground, is shown in this undated photo shared by Rear Adm. Jonathan Mead of the Royal Australian Navy on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. (via Twitter)
The USS Santa Fe sailed in formation with four Royal Australian Navy submarines during Exercise Ocean Explorer off Australia’s western coast, the Australian Fleet commander said in a tweet Tuesday.
Rear Adm. Jonathan Mead wrote it was “great to have our American partner and friend [down under]” during the exercise.
The Santa Fe, homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, is a fast-attack, nuclear-powered submarine with 12 vertical launch tubes for Tomahawk cruise missiles, according to the Navy.
This is the third year for Ocean Explorer, in which the British and New Zealand navies also participate. The three-week exercise began Sunday, according to the Royal Australian Navy. Participants are practicing maritime security, humanitarian and disaster relief and war-fighting.