a highly successful nine-month deployment as part of Operation MANITOU."
What is meant by that ? Any info on what they did ?

psst indy

Stick ya lingerie leg out. Ask a big sailor boy.

plantagenet,
Geez Man, i'd start WW3 doing that !

Hi indi - re HMAS Ballarat

Nah! I think WW3 would be a health hazard.
______________________________

Re your question:
"a highly successful nine-month deployment as part of Operation MANITOU." What is meant by that ? Any info on what they did ?"

One need look no further than Media Release July 14, 2019 http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/minister/lreynolds/media-releases/hmas-ballarat-returns-home-middle-east

"[HMAS] Ballarat has spent the last 260 days deployed patrolling the area from the North Arabian Gulf to the Southern Indian Ocean.

[HMAS Ballarat's] service has been exemplary, seizing more than a billion dollars of illegal drugs and nearly half a million rounds of small-arms ammunition.

...Ballarat has integrated with two carrier strike groups and taken part in several high-end warfighting exercises with the navies of the US, UK, France and Gulf Cooperation Council states.

Commanding Officer HMAS Ballarat, Commander Paul Johnson RAN, said the ship’s company worked hard to maintain a high level of operational capability.

“The work on-board Ballarat can be prolonged and arduous and it really is a whole of ship effort to sustain the boarding parties and achieve what we did,” Commander Johnson said.

“Disposing of the illegal narcotics provides tangible evidence that we’re making a difference.

“There’s a tremendous sense of satisfaction that comes with successful seizures and I thank the ship’s company for their flexibility and resilience throughout the deployment.”

Ballarat’s illicit drug seizures included approximately 19.76 tonnes of hashish, 1.41 tonnes of heroin and 50 kilograms of methamphetamine and amphetamine..."

Cheers

Pete

plantagenet,
Cheers for that info, heartening to see some positives for a change. These sort of achievements for our Tax dollars are seemingly not sexy enough for the Leftist Media.
Good work BALLARAT Crew !

Planta's HMAS TOOWOOMBA prediction comes true!

On 13 August 2019 I predicted "HMAS TOOWOOMBA or HMAS Arunta may perhaps be the next frigate the Morrison Government will announce is helping the US against Iran in the Persian Gulf-Strait of Hormuz waters." see http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=20444&page=0#361015

So its come to pass "Australia is sending HMAS TOOWOOMBA..." http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-21/understanding-the-strait-of-hormuz/11435122

Yee fellow commentistas in OLO Land should never doubt the Planta :)