SWRMC Completes Maintenance Partnership with Australian Navy

SWRMC Completes Maintenance Partnership with Australian Navy

By SWRMC Public Affairs

Southwest Regional Maintenance Center (SWRMC) successfully completed a planned maintenance availability on October 18 with a visiting naval ship, demonstrating interchangeability efforts between two partner nations. SWRMC provided technical assistance along with intermediate-level maintenance for various issues aboard the Australian guided missile destroyer HMAS Brisbane (DDG 41) during the month-long availability at Naval Base San Diego.

The visit, which was part of the ship's five-month deployment, provided training opportunities for the ship's crew while also offering critical repairs and upgrades to existing systems.

"This was an excellent example of 'interchangeability' between the USN and Royal Australian Navy, and builds on similar activities in Hawaii and back at home maintaining US Warships" said CMDR Bernard Dobson, Brisbane's commanding officer. "SWRMC has been very accommodating, and through our interactions, we have increased our knowledge and identified efficiencies as we move towards more of these types of activities across the Indo-Pacific. Knowing those nuances will help strengthen future partnerships in these challenging times as Australia undertakes maintenance on USN units, and the reciprocal."

Work began on September 16 and included tasks such as replacing the mechanical seal on a fire pump, 3D-printing reversible pad eyes, conducting a hull inspection, overhauling two frozen carriages, manufacturing and ordering various parts, and performing general maintenance in food service areas and on watertight doors. Additionally, SWRMC crews provided assistance and training to various corresponding technical departments aboard Brisbane to enhance skill competency for onboard troubleshooting.

"The training was reciprocated both ways," said Capt. William Albert, SWRMC's Production Department head. 'While our experts were able to train their Sailors, we also gained new skills working with their equipment."

Some of the challenges throughout the process of working with unfamiliar equipment included finding the appropriate parts and technical documentation to support requests. For example, repairing the bridge's window washers required collaboration with logistical support teams in Australia to order and expedite parts to San Diego for installation.

This availability also offered valuable lessons learned for SWRMC maintenance teams, helping them identify areas for improvement in supporting foreign naval vessels.

"One improvement that would benefit our teams in the future is developing an advanced method for verifying the scope of work we are accepting, rather than troubleshooting from a distance," said Hector Sandoval, Brisbane's project manager at SWRMC. "Getting an intimate understanding of the equipment layout, parts, and specs prior to arrival will save us time at the pier and optimize our ability to provide the best support."

Sandoval credits the collaborative efforts with Brisbane's team for the avail's overall success, a sentiment echoed by leadership on both sides of the availability.

"Together, we have successfully completed a four-week availability," said Lt. Cmdr. Ben Doherty of the Royal Australian Navy. "It has been a great learning opportunity for both the USN and the Royal Australian Navy, which will be valuable for any future joint maintenance opportunities."

"In maintaining the U.S. Navy's warfighters, we continue to hone our skills and improve our capabilities and capacity to support the Fleet" Capt. Brian Karosich, SWRMC's commanding officer. "This time, we got to demonstrate our capabilities with an ally, and that's pretty exciting."

SWRMC delivers superior ship maintenance, modernization, technical support, training, and innovative solutions to support ship readiness across the Fleet. For more information on SWRMC, please visit https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/RMC/SWRMC.