Photos of ships arriving in Sydney, Australia for International Fleet Review

HMAS Sydney leads the ceremonial fleet into Sydney Harbour as part of the International Fleet Review on October 4, 2013.

A multi-national fleet of ships participating in the International Fleet Review sail in formation off the coast of Jervis Bay on the south coast of New South Wales October 3, 2013.

A Seahawk helicopter flies the Australian White Ensign over a multi-national fleet of ships at anchor in Jervis Bay on the south coast of New South Wales October 3, 2013. The ships had gathered for the International Fleet Review commemorating the centenary of the arrival of the first Royal Australian Navy Fleet into Sydney.

The Young Endeavour sails into Sydney Harbour as part of a fleet of tall ships on October 3, 2013, as part of the International Fleet Review commemorating the centenary of the arrival of the first Royal Australian Navy Fleet into Sydney.

HMAS Sydney leads Australian warships Darwin, Perth, Parramatta, Bundaberg, Diamantina and Huon through Sydney Harbour, as part of the re-enactment of the original fleet arrival 100 years ago for the International Fleet Review 2013 on October 4, 2013.

Australian minehunter to clear up US bombs dumped near Great Barrier Reef

An update to the PR disaster that resulted from USMC aircraft dropping of inert/unarmed ordnance near the Great Barrier Reef.

These will be removed by a mine hunter… possibly one tasked from the US 7th Fleet… assuming Congress doesn’t force their decommissioning… or one tasked by the Royal Australian Navy.

Report: Mine Hunter to Recover U.S. Bombs Dropped Near Great Barrier Reef

HMAS Diamantina sails into Rabaul Harbour in Papua New Guinea in 2011. Royal Australian Navy Photo

A mine hunting ship will be deployed to find four bombs dropped by two U.S. Marine AV-8B Harriers last week in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in Australia, according to local press reports published on Tuesday.

The vessel would either come from U.S. 7th Fleet’s homeport in Japan or Australia’s Fleet Base East in Sydney, according to the report.

It is unclear is the mine ship will be a U.S. Navy Avenger class mine countermeasure ship or an Australian vessel.

Navy officials at the Pentagon did not have any additional details on the operation and could not confirm the report from the Perth Now news service.

“Dive teams have been sent to the area to try and locate the weapons, but Navy sources said it would require specialist underwater detection equipment to identify the bombs,” reported Perth Now.

The mine sweeper to find the two BDU-45 practice bombs and two unarmed GBU-12 Paveway II bombs.

“The Harriers had intended to drop the ordnance in Townshend Island Range but controllers reported the area was not clear of hazards. Due to low fuel and inability to land with the amount of ordnance they were carrying, the on scene commander determined it was necessary to designate an emergency jettison area for the ordnance,” according to a statement from U.S. 7th Fleet issued on July 20.

“The selected emergency jettison area was in a deep channel away from the reef to minimize the possibility of reef damage,” according to a statement from U.S.

“It is approximately 50 to 60 meters deep and does not pose a hazard to shipping or navigation.”

The Harriers were flying in support of the Talisman Saber 2013, a joint exercise conducted between the U.S. and Australia.

http://news.usni.org/2013/07/24/report-mine-hunter-to-recover-u-s-bombs-dropped-near-great-barrier-reef