Delivering amphibious forces - Exercise Sea Explorer

Exercise Sea Explorer is the second of three exercises in the annual SEA series to hone and certify Australia's Amphibious Forces.

The ability to deliver M1A1 Main Battle Tanks amphibiously is a strategic message to the region and potential adversaries. Each tank weighs more than 60t and it's a logistically complicated process to get them onto a Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) such as HMAS Canberra to then be delivered to a beach via landing craft.

This exercise involved delivering four tanks and an M88 recovery vehicle by flatbed truck to Queensland's Cowley Beach, then loaded onto landing craft and delivered to the heavy vehicle deck of HMAS Canberra.