HMNZS HAWEA
By SLT Anthony Norris RNZN
A visit (during November) by FNS VENDEMIAIRE to NZ waters offered HAWEA the opportunity to exercise with a foreign navy for the first time. The French frigate visited Auckland, Wellington and Nelson.
As VENDEMIAIRE sailed from Auckland it was easy to feel like little brother tagging along behind. A busy day of activities showed us just how capable our Inshore Patrol Vessels are. Once at sea we first cross-decked some members of each ship’s company to experience life at sea in a foreign ship. Then it was time for a boarding exercise: six members of HAWEA’s company played the part of suspected drug runners. (Some decent Movember beard growth helped to add authenticity, as did the (cardboard) weapons and packets of ‘drugs’ (flour) concealed in their civilian clothes!)
VENDEMIAIRE’s 12-person boarding team clearly meant business. Kitted out in camouflage fatigues and carrying automatic weapons and shotguns, they didn’t even stop to introduce themselves before starting to frisk the drug runners for weapons. Having separated and detained the officers and crew, the French team began a thorough search of the ship. The search revealed a further stash of weapons and drugs below decks and, to their surprise, a young communications operator hiding in a locker.
At the same time, VENDEMIAIRE was playing the role of a fishing vessel suspected of illegal fishing, giving HAWEA’s Boarding Party the opportunity to practise their skills. Both the CO and XO of VENDEMIAIRE were impressed by our Boarding Party’s equipment, particularly the new J3 RHIBs. The French Captain expressed surprise and envy when he learned that HAWEA’s boats are equipped with Radar, Depth Sounders and Electronic Charts.
In the afternoon we undertook Officer of the Watch Manoeuvres. The exercise included VENDEMIAIRE conducting flying operations, and RHIB operations while manoeuvring at close quarters. There was of course the language hurdle! HAWEA showed her significant speed and handling advantages over her larger counterpart.
The ship-handling concluded with RAS (Replenishment at Sea) approaches, where the ships came within 50 yards so a line could be fired across. This technique is used for passing mail and other light stores between ships. In this case gifts, ships’ plaques, were exchanged. Both Captains displayed their skill with a final approach close enough so that the line could be heaved across by hand.
VENDEMIAIRE’s Allouette III Helicopter practised transferring stores between the ships by winch before our final exercise began. While HAWEA and VENDEMIAIRE sailed in formation through the Mercury Islands, our sea boats were used to simulate an asymmetric threat. The small fast-moving targets were engaged (signalling lamps simulating machine gun fire) as they weaved about ‘firing’ at the ships. We claimed both ‘hostile’ vessels destroyed.
Having repelled the threat, we returned all hands to their rightful ships and after some final goodbyes over VHF, VENDEMIAIRE detached and continued to Wellington. The French Captain expressed his gratitude for a successful day and his hope for more joint exercises in the future. We wished the officers and sailors of VENDEMIAIRE well for their visits and a safe passage back to Noumea.
FNS VENDEMIAIRE
Surveillance Frigate
Role: patrol of French overseas maritime areas including New Caledonia and French Polynesia and protection of their Exclusive Economic Zone. Based in Noumea.
| Commissioned: |
5 May 1993 |
| Displacement: |
2700 tons |
| Dimensions: |
93.5m x 14m x 4.3m |
| Diesel engines: |
6,5MW (8,800hp) |
| Speed: |
20 knots |
| Weapons systems: |
- 1 x 100mm gun (80 rounds per minute,
the main gun has the fastest rate of
fire for any similar gun.)
- 2 x 20mm guns
- 2 x Exocet surface to surface missiles.
|
| Helicopter: |
1 x Allouette III |
| Complement: |
90 (plus accommodation for 36 extra) |
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