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An Expeditionary Logistics Team – Maritime concept has provided forward deployment of stores and fuel for the Anzac Class frigate HMAS Warramunga.
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The Royal Australian Navy has added the important link to its supply chain during Exercise Kakadu.
The Expeditionary Logistics Team – Maritime (ELT-M), deployed to Melville Island, in the Tiwi Islands off the Northern Territory coast, involved the forward deployment of stores and fuel delivered to a ship operating in the area.
During the exercise, HMAS Warramunga came alongside Port Melville to receive 11 pallets of dry and refrigerated foods, as well as about 250 cubic metres of maritime diesel fuel.
Officer in Charge Lieutenant Commander Michael Dunstan said the evolution, which took about six hours, was a game-changer.
“During Kakadu, the ELT-M demonstrated ‘push logistics’ where the provisions order was raised by the Fleet Logistics Directorate, submitted to the supplier, delivered to the end point by the ELT-M and then handed over to the ship,” LCDR Dunstan said.
“The concept is to provide logistics to deployed ships via a forward support bridge which is scalable in size and capacity.
“To ensure supplies are delivered fresh, the ELT-M employed the use of temperature data loggers to track the temperatures of the provisions, both frozen and chilled.”
The deployment to an austere location like Port Melville highlighted the team’s ability to resupply ships when traditional contractors were unavailable.
LCDR Dunstan said the ELT-M was ably supported by a number of logistics and transport units in Navy and Army.
“This included Joint Logistics Unit – North, 1 Combat Service Support Battalion and 36 Water Transport Troop,” he said.
Commanding Officer Warramunga Commander Dylan Phillips said having a robust expeditionary logistics capability guarantees a ship can maintain operational tempo.
“Modern ships are complex with thousands of parts, so when things break or wear out, it’s important to be able to get replacements delivered to remote locations at short notice – the ELT-M allows us to do that,” CMDR Phillips said.
The ELT-M was established in 2023 and is based at Fleet Headquarters. The team comprises two maritime logistics officers and two logistics sailors.
When activated, the ELT-M is supplemented by personnel from other fleet battle staff elements or force commands such as medical, communications and transport specialists.
