The Australian Special Operations Command’s recovery task group carried out Exercise Iron Atlantis at the Yolla offshore gas platform located in the Bass Strait at the beginning of April. This exercise was designed to develop and improve the group’s proficiency in complex maritime environments. According to Captain L of the task group, the exercise demonstrated effective integration within the joint force to uphold Australian interests.
Exercise Iron Atlantis was described as a multifaceted maritime operation, employing joint assets including the Royal Australian Navy’s multi-role aviation training vessel (MATV) Sycamore. This asset played a crucial role in projecting forces onto the offshore energy platform, enabling various mission profiles and scenarios to be conducted. Operators and clearance divers utilized the Sycamore to execute several mission profiles, testing and validating the task group’s capabilities under diverse conditions.
This exercise is part of a broader series of activities aimed at preparing the recovery task group for both domestic and offshore crisis-response scenarios. Major P from the Special Operations Command highlighted the importance of collaboration and trust between different services and industry partners in enhancing these capabilities. The exercise underscored the Command’s ability to apply elements of national power in support of Australian interests, facilitated by relationships with allies, partners, and other government departments and agencies.
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