Royal Australian Navy warship HMAS Toowoomba visits HCM City

During their six-day stay, 200 naval officers and crewmembers will have exchanges and share experiences with officers and sailors of the Vietnam People's Navy, in such fields as health care on naval ships and rescue work.

The Australian crew will also pay a courtesy visit to leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the Military Region 7 High Command, and the Naval Region 2 High Command, and lay floral tributes at the monument to President Ho Chi Minh.

Besides Australian sailors will participate in friendly sport games with students of the Naval Technical Intermediate School.

Commander Tony McCormack of Indo-Pacific Endeavor (IPE) said the visit, part of the IPE cooperation programme, aims to promote friendship and mutual understanding, contributing to further strengthening cooperation between the two countries' navies and Vietnam-Australia defense cooperation.

The visit also demonstrates the strong strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia in celebration of half a century of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Australia (1973-2023).

HMAS Toowoomba is the seventh of eight Anzac Class frigates built by Tenix Defence Systems at Williamstown, Victoria for the Royal Australian Navy. The design is based on the German Meko 200 frigate.

The warship features a "combined diesel or gas" (CODOG) propulsion plant which enables the ship to sustain sprint speeds of greater than 27 knots and allows an operational range in excess of 6,000 nautical miles at 18 knots.

The ship can embark Navy's latest multi-role Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk helicopter which has enhanced anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare and Search and Rescue capabilities. Embarkation of a helicopter also provides the ship with the capability to deliver air-launched missiles and torpedoes, according to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).