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HMAS Tobruk (L50)
Encyclopedia
HMAS Tobruk (L 50) is a Landing Ship Heavy (LSH) of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN), based on the design of the Round Table class
Round Table class landing ship logistics
The Round Table class is a ship class of Landing Ship Logistics , also known as the "Sir" class, are designed for amphibious warfare missions, in support of the major amphibious ships. They have both bow and stern doors leading onto the main vehicle deck, making them roll-on/roll-off, combined with...
of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...
.
Laid down in February 1979, Tobruk was the first purpose-built amphibious vessel of the RAN, and was intended to provide the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
with a sealift
Sealift
Sealift is a term used predominantly in military logistics and refers to the use of cargo ships for the deployment of military assets, such as weaponry, vehicles, military personnel, and supplies...
capability. She was commissioned into the RAN in April 1981, but was afflicted by several engine and sewerage treatment plant problems during the early part of her career; the latter causing a death on board in 1981.
While the Government intended to retire her in the early 1990s, this did not go ahead, and Tobruk remains in service with the RAN as of 2011. It is planned that Tobruk will remain active until 2012, when she will be replaced by one of the Canberra class Landing Helicopter Docks.
Design and construction
In the late 1970s, it was decided that the Australian ArmyAustralian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
needed to be provided with a long-term sealift
Sealift
Sealift is a term used predominantly in military logistics and refers to the use of cargo ships for the deployment of military assets, such as weaponry, vehicles, military personnel, and supplies...
capability, preferably through the acquisition of a dedicated cargo ship. The chartering of civilian ships to provide this capability when required—as had been done with the merchant vessels Jeparit
HMAS Jeparit
HMAS Jeparit was an Australian National Lines bulk carrier which was operated by the Royal Australian Navy between 1969 and 1972. She was launched in 1964 and transported supplies to Australian military forces in South Vietnam between 1966 and 1972 under both civil and military ownership...
and Boonaroo
HMAS Boonaroo
HMAS Boonaroo was an Australian National Lines cargo vessel used to support Australian forces fighting in the Vietnam War...
during the Vietnam War—was considered and rejected, because Australian National Line was unable to provide the necessary level of support. It was decided that a purpose-built ship would be constructed for the role, and would be operated by the RAN. While the Army did not require that the ship be capable of beaching
Beach (nautical)
Beaching is when a vessel is laid ashore, or grounded deliberately in shallow water. This is more usual with small flat-bottomed boats. Larger ships may be beached deliberately, for instance in an emergency a damaged ship might be beached to prevent it from sinking in deep water...
, the RAN set this as a requirement, to maximize the ship's flexibility. In 1975, the Navy successfully convinced Australian Military's Force Structure Committee to endorse this requirement over the Army's opposition, and the committee authorised the purchase of a Landing Ship Heavy (LSH) on 19 March 1975.
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in which the RAN's so-called 'Scrap Iron Flotilla
Scrap Iron Flotilla
The Scrap Iron Flotilla was an Australian destroyer group that operated in the Mediterranean and Pacific during World War II. The name scrap iron flotilla was bestowed upon the group by Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels....
' supplied the besieged 9th Australian Division. She is the second RAN ship of this name; preceded by the Battle class destroyer
Battle class destroyer
The Battle class were a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy . Built in three groups, the first group were ordered under the 1942 naval estimates. A modified second and third group, together with two ships of an extended design were planned for the 1943 and 1944...
.
Two designs were considered for Tobruk; a modified Sir or Round Table class landing ship logistics
Round Table class landing ship logistics
The Round Table class is a ship class of Landing Ship Logistics , also known as the "Sir" class, are designed for amphibious warfare missions, in support of the major amphibious ships. They have both bow and stern doors leading onto the main vehicle deck, making them roll-on/roll-off, combined with...
, in use with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...
at the time, was selected for construction. Tobruk’s design was based on RFA Sir Bedivere
RFA Sir Bedivere (L3004)
RFA Sir Bedivere was a Landing Ship Logistic of the Round Table class. She saw service in the Falklands War, the Persian Gulf and Sierra Leone. In 2009 she was commissioned into the Brazilian Navy, and renamed NDCC Almirante Saboia -History:The ship was originally built for army service, and...
, the second of the class, which had been modified following the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...
's experience with operating the class' lead ship, RFA Sir Lancelot
RFA Sir Lancelot (L3029)
RFA Sir Lancelot was the lead ship and prototype of the Round Table class landing ship logistics, an amphibious warfare design operated by the British Armed Forces. Commissioned in 1964, the ship was initially operated by the British-India Steam Navigation Company, then was transferred to the...
. The Australian modifications to the design were kept to a minimum to simplify construction; the most significant changes were to improve the ship's ability to operate both large and multiple helicopters, fitting an operations room, and adding a derrick
Derrick
A derrick is a lifting device composed of one tower, or guyed mast such as a pole which is hinged freely at the bottom. It is controlled by lines powered by some means such as man-hauling or motors, so that the pole can move in all four directions. A line runs up it and over its top with a hook on...
with a lift of 70 tonnes. Most of the other changes related to bringing accommodation conditions into line with Australian requirements. Like the other ships of the Round Table Class, Tobruk was built to commercial rather than military standards, and is unable to sustain as much damage as warships. The ship was fitted with different engines to those used in the British ships, which were proven unreliable early in Tobruk’s career.
Tobruk was built by Carrington Slipways Pty Ltd at Tomago, New South Wales
Tomago, New South Wales
Tomago is a combined industrial/semi-rural suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located just north of the Hunter River and west of the body of water known as Fullerton Cove...
. The company was selected following a competitive tender in May 1977, with contract negotiations completed on 3 November 1977. Construction of Tobruk formally began on 7 February 1979, when the ship's keel was laid. Tobruk was launched on 1 March 1980 and left the dockyard for the first time in December 1980. The ship's construction had been delayed by over four months by industrial disputes and her final price of $59 million was 42 percent more than originally estimated. The ship's sea trial
Sea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
s were conducted in early 1981 off Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and Port Stephens by a joint Navy-Army-civilian crew and fitting out was completed on 7 April 1981. Tobruk was handed over to the Navy on 11 April 1981 and was commissioned at Newcastle on 23 April.
Tobruk has received a number of modifications during her service. These include the removal of her two 40/60 Bofors guns
Bofors 40 mm gun
The Bofors 40 mm gun is an anti-aircraft autocannon designed by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence...
in the mid-1990s.
Capabilities
Tobruk was the first purpose-built amphibious vessel in the RAN. She is designed as a multi-purpose, roll-on/roll-off heavy lift and transport vessel - the ship can be loaded via ramps at both the bow and stern, and can be purposely beached. The ship is classified as a Landing Ship Heavy by the RAN.Tobruk can carry the Army's M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks and 40 M113
M113 Armored Personnel Carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
or ASLAV
ASLAV
The Australian Service Light Armoured Vehicle , is an Australian version of the Light Armoured Vehicle designed and manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada for the U.S. Marines. The initial design was the MOWAG Piranha 8x8, however the vehicle was re-designed to meet North American...
armoured personnel carriers. Before they were retired from service, Tobruk was also capable of carrying up to 18 Leopard 1 tanks. A pair of LCM-8
LCM-8
The LCM-8 is a river boat and mechanized landing craft used by the United States Navy and Army during the Vietnam War and subsequent operations. They are currently used by governments and private organizations throughout the world. The acronym stands for "Landing Craft Mechanized, Mark 8...
landing craft can be carried in specially designed cradles on the ship's vehicle deck, while a pair of Australian-built LCVPs
LCVP (Australia)
Since 1993 the Royal Australian Navy has operated four Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel from the landing ship, heavy and replenishment oiler . These aluminum craft were built by Geraldton Boat Builders and can carry up to 36 personnel or a Land Rover with a half-ton trailer. They are maintained...
are mounted either side of the superstructure. The ship also has two landing platforms, one behind the superstructure and one in the well deck, which are rated for helicopters up to and including the size of the Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
. Tobruk has a standard capacity of 300 troops, with an overload capacity of 520.
1980s
Following her commissioning, Tobruk proceeded to her initial home port of HMAS MoretonHMAS Moreton
HMAS Moreton was a naval base located at New Farm, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.The naval base was opened in 1932 as HMAS Penguin IV and on 1 August 1940 it was renamed as HMAS Brisbane. The base was again renamed HMAS Moreton in 1942...
in Brisbane, Queensland for the first time, then undertook further sea trials. These trials were conducted during the winter of 1981, and were intended to both test whether the ship met her design specifications and develop procedures for landing helicopters and beaching. The trials were generally successful, although Tobruk’s engines continued to be unreliable and problems were encountered with the sewage system. The ship undertook its first tasking in the spring of 1981 when she transported elements of the 16th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
16th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
The 16th Air Defence Regiment is the youngest regiment of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery. As the Australian Defence Force's only Ground Based Air Defence unit the Regiment is responsible for protecting a wide range of military assets during wartime, ranging from Army units in the field...
from Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
to Port Alma, Queensland. Following this Tobruk proceeded to Port Phillip Bay and suffered a serious engine malfunction while approaching Station Pier
Station Pier
Station Pier is an historic pier on Port Phillip, in Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Opened in 1854, the pier is Melbourne's primary passenger terminal, servicing interstate ferries and cruise ships, and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register....
. While the engines were repaired, the main engine control mechanism was later found to be entirely unreliable and had to be redesigned and reconstructed at Brisbane. During trials following this repair the ship's sewerage system seriously malfunctioned, fatally gassing one of the Australian Navy Cadets
Australian Navy Cadets
The Australian Navy Cadets is a voluntary youth organisation sponsored by the Royal Australian Navy. Together with the Australian Air Force Cadets and Australian Army Cadets, it forms the Australian Defence Force Cadets. It hosts over 91 units.-History:...
who had been embarked for seagoing experience. The cadet's death led to an inquiry into the ship by the Commonwealth Government's Auditor General which concluded that she should not have been accepted by the RAN at the time she was commissioned due to the number of defects still present.
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
UH-1 Iroquois
UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
helicopters and supporting stores to join the Australian contingent to the Multinational Force and Observers
Multinational Force and Observers
The Multinational Force and Observers is an international peacekeeping force overseeing the terms of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.-Background:...
in the Sinai Peninsula
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
. Tobruk arrived in Ashdod, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
on 19 March, becoming the first Australian warship to visit the country, and arrived back in Brisbane on 30 April. The ship transported cyclone relief stores to Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
in May and spent the remainder of the year undertaking tasks in Australian waters. These included supporting the 1982 Commonwealth Games
1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
, which were held in Brisbane. In early 1983, Tobruk travelled to Malaysia to assist the RAAF in withdrawing units from RAAF Base Butterworth
RAAF Base Butterworth
RMAF Butterworth is an Air Force Station of the Royal Malaysian Air Force situated near the town of Butterworth in the state of Penang, directly opposite the island itself.-RAF Butterworth:...
. In February 1984, Tobruk took part in exercises in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, before travelling to Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
in August, where she provided support and accommodation for delegates to the South Pacific Forum. In late 1985, the naval base HMAS Moreton
HMAS Moreton
HMAS Moreton was a naval base located at New Farm, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.The naval base was opened in 1932 as HMAS Penguin IV and on 1 August 1940 it was renamed as HMAS Brisbane. The base was again renamed HMAS Moreton in 1942...
was decommissioned into reserve, prompting the disbanding of the Amphibious Squadron (which had consisted of Tobruk and the six Balikpapan class landing craft) and the relocation of Tobruk’s homeport to Fleet Base East in Sydney.
In May 1987, Tobruk formed part of the Australian military force which deployed to Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
following the 1987 Fijian coups d'état. The goal of this deployment, which was designated Operation Morris Dance
Operation Morris Dance
Operation Morris Dance was an Australian military operation conducted in May 1987 in response to the first of the 1987 Fijian coups d'état.On the morning of 14 May 1987 the Military of Fiji took control of the country in a bloodless coup d'état. In response to the coup the Australian Defence Force ...
, was to evacuate Australian citizens if necessary. Tobruk left Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
carrying Army stores and five helicopters on 21 May and embarked 'B' Company of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War...
(1RAR) at Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
on 23 May. Tobruk joined HMA Ships Sydney
HMAS Sydney (FFG 03)
HMAS Sydney is an Adelaide class guided missile frigate of the Royal Australian Navy . The frigate one of six modified s ordered from 1977 onwards, and the third of four to be constructed in the United States of America...
, Parramatta and Success off Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
on 26 May. By this time it had become clear that there would not be a need to evacuate Australians from Fiji and Tobruk proceeded to support the South Pacific Forum meeting at Apia, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
after cross-decking the troops and their supplies to the other ships. Operation Morris Dance revealed serious shortcomings in the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
's ability to deploy forces outside of Australia, with the Army unit having no previous experience of amphibious operations and the naval helicopters being unable to carry Army supplies.
After Operation Morris Dance, Tobruk returned to mainly routine duties. She travelled to New Zealand on a training cruise in early 1988 and was placed on alert to carry an Army force to evacuate Australian civilians from Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
in April 1988 following a political crisis there. While Tobruk was loaded with stores and three Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
helicopters, this deployment did not eventuate and the ship was unloaded on 24 May. The ship transported the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a motorised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in Brisbane, Queensland, on 6 June 1965 and has since then served in a number of overseas deployments and conflicts including South Vietnam, East Timor and Iraq...
's vehicles and supplies to the west coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in early 1989 and participated in a joint Australian, British, Canadian and United States amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
exercise at Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, along the central coast of California. The bay is south of San Francisco and San Jose, between the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterey....
. The ship then visited Canada before returning to Australia. In December 1989, Tobruk was forced to undergo unscheduled repairs at Newcastle to repair damage caused by excessive vibration, which had possibly been caused by her engines revving at a higher rate than the ship had been designed for.
1990s
Tobruk began the 1990s with another deployment at short notice to the South Pacific. On 26 January 1990, she was tasked to assist with evacuating Australian citizens from BougainvilleBougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
; this operation was cancelled in early February while the ship was travelling to the island from Sydney. On 5 March, Tobruk left Sydney bound for Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in company with HMAS Sydney to participate in ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the landing at Anzac Cove
Landing at Anzac Cove
The landing at Anzac Cove was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula by Australian and New Zealand forces on 25 April 1915. The landing, north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean coast of the Peninsula, was made by soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and was the first...
. Tobruk carried vehicles, stores and support personnel for the ceremony on 25 April, with many of the ship's crew also going ashore to visit the battlefields on Anzac Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
.
Operation Solace
Operation Solace was the Australian Defence Force's main contribution to the Unified Task Force which was a United States led, United Nations sanctioned, multinational force which operated in the Republic of Somalia from 9 December 1992 to 4 May 1993...
, Australia's contribution to the international peacekeeping effort in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. The ship left Sydney on 26 December, embarked much of 1RAR's equipment at Townsville and departed for Somalia on 1 January 1993. The loading process had been delayed by another serious toxic gas incident in one of the ship's sewerage plants. She arrived at Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
on 19 January and was ordered to remain in the area after unloading the battalion's equipment on 23 January. The ship remained off East Africa for four and a half months, and transported humanitarian supplies from Kenya as well as providing 1RAR with a communications link to Australia. Tobruk re-embarked 1RAR's equipment at Mogadishu on 14 May and returned to Sydney via Townsville on 21 June. The ship was awarded the Gloucester Cup for 1993 for her service off Somalia and subsequent operations during the year.
In 1993, the Australian Government decided to purchase two ex-United States Navy Newport class tank landing ship
Newport class tank landing ship
Newport-class tank-landing ships are an improved class of American tank-landing ship , intended to provide substantial advantages over their World War II-era predecessors...
s to replace Tobruk and the navy's training and sealift ship HMAS Jervis Bay in 1994. Plans were developed to place Tobruk in reserve or lease her to the Royal New Zealand Navy
Royal New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
. While the New Zealand government was interested in obtaining a sealift ship, the RNZN did not feel that it could afford to crew and operate Tobruk and the negotiations with New Zealand ended unsuccessfully in September 1994. The unexpected difficulty of upgrading the two LSTs led to the date of Tobruk’s retirement being postponed to mid-1996, with the ship continuing normal operations. After the negotiations with New Zealand ended, the RAN opened negotiations with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, which was considering scrapping one of their LSLs and replacing it with Tobruk. A British team travelled to Australia to inspect the ship in December 1994, but this sale did not eventuate. The Portuguese Navy
Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....
expressed interest in buying Tobruk in 1995 and sent a team to Sydney in 1996 to inspect the ship. During this period Tobruk remained in active service, and in 1997 the new Liberal Party government decided to retain her until 2010 as the two LSTs could not fully replace her ability to carry heavy equipment. The period of uncertainty about the ship's fate led to a deterioration in her material condition, as she did not receive a major refit during the period she was up for sale.
Tobruk played an important role in efforts to end the civil war in Bougainville during the 1990s. In September 1994, she transported an Australian peacekeeping force to Bougainville to protect peace talks which were attempting to end the civil war on the island. These talks were not successful and during the deployment one of the ship's Sea King helicopters was damaged by small arms fire; the first damage sustained by a RAN unit since the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. A peace agreement was signed in October 1997, and Tobruk returned to Bougainville in November of that year to deploy a peace monitoring group. The ship made several voyages to the island during the first four months of 1998 to support the peace process. Further voyages to Bougainville took place in September 1998, February 2000 and August 2003; the last of these was to extract the peace monitoring group following the successful conclusion of this mission. Tobruk also participated in a major international exercise in South East Asia in 1999.
In 1999 and 2000, Tobruk took part in the international peacekeeping effort in East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
. On 30 August 1999, the day the referendum which led to East Timor's independence was held, she left Sydney for Townsville to load elements of the 3rd Brigade in case there was a need to evacuate Australians and other foreigners from East Timor. The referendum was followed by widespread violence and the Indonesian government agreed to an international peacekeeping force (the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) being deployed to East Timor in mid-September. Tobruk left Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
on 18 September under escort by HMS Glasgow
HMS Glasgow (D88)
HMS Glasgow was a Type 42 destroyer of the Royal Navy. The last of the Batch 1 Type 42 destoyers, Glasgow was commissioned in 1977. The destroyer fought during the Falklands War, and on 12 May 1982 was damaged by bombs from Argentine A-4 Skyhawks. Glasgow operated with the INTERFET peacekeeping...
, and arrived at Dili
Dili
Dili, spelled Díli in Portuguese, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor.-Geography and Administration:Dili lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands....
on 21 September. The ship made six further voyages between Darwin and East Timor in September and October 1999, and continued to make an important contribution to the peacekeeping operation until November, when she returned to Sydney for maintenance. Tobruk made two further trips to East Timor in March and April 2000. Tobruk was later awarded the battle honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
"East Timor 1999" in recognition of her contribution to INTERFET.
2000–present
In mid-2000, a civil war broke out in the Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
; Tobruk was ordered to the Islands' capital, Honiara
Honiara
Honiara, population 49,107 , 78,190 , is the capital of the Solomon Islands and of Guadalcanal Province, although it is a separately administered town...
, to evacuate Australian citizens. She arrived on 8 June and embarked 486 civilians, who were then transported to Cairns, Queensland
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
. After a brief maintenance period, Tobruk returned to the Solomons in late June, where she served as the venue for peace talks. She spent almost all of July at anchor off Honiara and returned to Australia after a cease-fire agreement was signed on board the ship on 2 August. Tobruk made a further voyage to the Solomons in December 2000 to support the International Peace Monitoring team which had been established there. A peace treaty ending the conflict was signed on board the ship on 7 February 2001 and she returned to Sydney on 15 February. Tobruk took part of Operation Relex
Operation Relex
Operation Relex is the name given to the Australian Defence Force border protection operation in the country's northern approaches conducted between 2001 and 2006. The operation was instigated following the Tampa affair in September 2001 and its focus was on illegal immigration...
in late 2001 and early 2002 where she transported would-be refugees to Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
and Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
. She also made a further voyage from Darwin to East Timor in April 2002 to deliver supplies to the Australian Defence Force units there.
ASLAV
The Australian Service Light Armoured Vehicle , is an Australian version of the Light Armoured Vehicle designed and manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada for the U.S. Marines. The initial design was the MOWAG Piranha 8x8, however the vehicle was re-designed to meet North American...
s to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, where they would equip the Australian Army's Al Muthanna Task Group
Al Muthanna Task Group
The Al Muthanna Task Group was a battlegroup that formed Australia's main ground force contribution to the Multinational force in Iraq. The AMTG was established in April 2005 and ceased to exist in July 2006 when the Australian force was relocated to Dhi Qar Governorate as Overwatch Battle Group...
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. The ASLAVs were embarked at Darwin on 18 April and the ship arrived at Kuwait on 9 May. She returned to Australia via India, arriving back in Sydney on 22 June. Tobruk undertook a second voyage to the Middle East in late 2006 to transport the equipment for the Army forces in Army and the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and arrived home via the Philippines in April 2007.
Tobruk travelled to Nias Island in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
in March 2006 to support ceremonies commemorating the anniversary of the crash of Sea King helicopter Shark 02 there on 2 April 2005. Following this deployment, she took part in Exercise Croix du Sud off New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, then proceeded to the Philippines where she was to embark an OV-10 Bronco
OV-10 Bronco
The North American Aviation Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is a turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency combat, and one of its primary missions was as a forward air control aircraft...
aircraft for the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
.
In mid-May, Tobruk was recalled from her voyage to the Philippines to embark elements of the 3rd Brigade for an urgent deployment to East Timor following fighting caused by unrest in the country's military. She proceeded to Dili in company with the Navy's two Kanimbla class landing platform amphibious
Kanimbla class landing platform amphibious
The Kanimbla class is a class of amphibious transport ships operated by the Royal Australian Navy . Two ships were purchased by Australia in 1994 and modified...
ships. This was the first time that an Australian amphibious readiness group had been formed since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Group departed from Townsville on 23 May and arrived at Dili a few days later. After unloading her cargo, Tobruk returned to Townsville where she embarked a second load of vehicles and supplies for the Australian forces in East Timor, arriving back at Dili in the first week of June. She returned to Sydney in late June.
In November 2006 it was reported that while the Department of Defence had engaged a specialist to supervise the removal of large quantities of asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
from Tobruk, her crew were concerned that the ship was continuing operations during the overhaul. The report also stated that removal of the material had been delayed for several years due to the ship's high operational tempo.
In late December 2007, two groups of 60 Australian Navy Cadets
Australian Navy Cadets
The Australian Navy Cadets is a voluntary youth organisation sponsored by the Royal Australian Navy. Together with the Australian Air Force Cadets and Australian Army Cadets, it forms the Australian Defence Force Cadets. It hosts over 91 units.-History:...
and staff were embarked aboard Tobruk for the final part of the ship's deployment with Operation Resolute
Operation Resolute
Operation Resolute is the Australian Defence Force's contribution to patrolling Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone. Operation Resolute began on 17 July 2006 and consolidated a number of previous ADF operations, including Operation Relex....
and the return voyage from Darwin to Sydney. This was the first time cadets had been embarked. The first group remained aboard until Tobruk arrived in Cairns, where they were replaced with the second group for the return to Sydney.
RIMPAC
RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is the world's largest international maritime exercise. Conducted biennially , it is hosted and administered by the United States Navy, with the United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard forces under the leadership of...
exercise off Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. She left Sydney on 10 June and returned on 18 August. During the exercise Tobruk embarked and landed United States Marines Amphibious Assault Vehicle
Amphibious Assault Vehicle
The Assault Amphibious Vehicle —official designation AAV-7A1 is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems .The AAV-7A1 is the current amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps...
s. In October Tobruk and HMAS Brunei supported the Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program (AACAP) by transporting equipment from Kalumburu, Western Australia
Kalumburu, Western Australia
Kalumburu and Kalumburu Community are both bounded localities within the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley Western Australia. Kalumburu Community is the northernmost settlement in Western Australia...
at the end of an AACAP project.
On 22 February 2009, Tobruk was used as the venue for a Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
concert. From 3 April to 24 June she operated off northern Australia as part of Operation Resolute. On 16 April she was one of the ships which responded to an explosion on board the refugee ship 'Siev 36
Siev 36
SIEV-36 was a boat from Indonesia carrying 47 apparently Afghan asylum seekers and two Indonesian crew members. The vessel exploded and sank near Ashmore Reef, Australia in the early morning of 16 April 2009, shortly after being intercepted by an Australian patrol boat...
'. During this operation she provided medical treatment to people wounded in the blast and her embarked Sea King helicopter flew the more badly injured to Mungalalu Truscott Airbase
Mungalalu Truscott Airbase
Mungalalu Truscott Airbase, which during World War II was known as Truscott Airfield is today a commercial air field in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. The airbase falls under the traditional ownership of the Wunambal Gaambera people...
. Tobruk subsequently carried 136 refugees to Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
in early May. During the period 3 April to 24 June she spent 79 days at sea and only four in port, steamed 16867 nautical miles (31,237.7 km) and embarked more than 250 asylum seekers. In October 2009 she sailed to Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
to conduct relief operations after the islands were affected by the 2009 Samoa earthquake
2009 Samoa earthquake
The 2009 Samoa earthquake was an 8.1 Mw submarine earthquake that took place in the Samoan Islands region at 06:48:11 local time on September 29, 2009 . At a magnitude of 8.1, it was the largest earthquake of 2009....
.
Tobruk completed a period of extended maintenance in April 2010. As of late May that year, she had sailed 823587 nautical miles (1,525,283.1 km) during her service with the RAN. During the first week of September 2010, Tobruk and two other RAN amphibious ships participated in the United States-led Pacific Partnership
Pacific Partnership
Pacific Partnership is an annual deployment of forces from the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy , in cooperation with regional governments and military forces, along with humanitarian and non-government organizations....
2010 deployment in Papua New Guinea.
In early 2011, Tobruk was at Garden Island Naval Dockhard for heavy repairs to the propeller shaft. As a result, she was not available to participate in Operation Yasi Assist
Operation Yasi Assist
Operation Yasi Assist is a multi-Service activity by the Australian Defence Force as a contribution to the response to Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi. Coordinated to aid civilian emergency response efforts, at Federal inter-departmental level it is managed by Emergency Management Queensland...
following Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi and, due to both ships of the Kanimbla class being out of service due to mechanical problems, the Navy did not have an amphibious transport capacity at the time. Minister for Defence Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith (Australian politician)
Stephen Francis Smith , is the Australian Minister for Defence. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Perth, Western Australia....
stated afterwards that he was misinformed about when Tobruk would be ready to put to sea if required. Temporary repairs were completed by 7 March, and the ship has been returned to "48-hours deployment notice" status, although more permanent repairs will be required in the future. Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
on 11 March 2011, Tobruk and Sydney were placed on alert to transport supplies and Australian Army engineers to Japan if this was requested by the Japanese Government. In May 2011, the ship began a two-month long maintenance period in Sydney. To provide an amphibious capability during this refit, the civilian icebreaker Aurora Australis
Aurora Australis (icebreaker)
Aurora Australis is an Australian icebreaker. Built by Carrington Slipways and launched in 1989, the vessel is owned by P&O Polar, but is regularly chartered by the Australian Antarctic Division for research cruises in Antarctic waters and to support Australian bases in Antarctica.-Design and...
was chartered from May until August. Although Tobruk will be active during late August and early September, she will then return to dockyard hands for further maintenance during September and October in prepreation for the 2011-12 tropical cyclone season
2011–12 Australian region cyclone season
The 2011–12 Australian region cyclone season is an event in the ongoing cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It began on 1 November 2011, and it will end on 30 April 2012...
. The Australian Customs vessel Ocean Portector is to be used for humanitarian and disaster relief operaions during Tobruks docking.