International Fleet Review 2013

International Fleet Review 2013
Fireworks for the International Fleet Review in Sydney, Australia
Date	October 3–11, 2013 (2013-10-03 – 2013-10-11)
Duration	9 Days
Venue	Sydney Harbour
Location	Sydney, Australia
Also known as	IFR 2013
Type	Military
Organised by	Royal Australian Navy
Participants	more than 50 Countries

The International Fleet Review 2013 was a review that took place on the week 3 to 11 October 2013, as part of the celebrations to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the entry of the first Royal Australian Navy fleet in Sydney Harbour, on 4 October 1913.

Background

In 2011 the RAN invited over 50 nations to send a ship to participate in a fleet review to commemorate the centenary of the first entry in Sydney of the Australian Fleet. This event was considered a milestone in Australia’s maturity as a nation.^[1] The event was planned in partnership with the New South Wales and the City of Sydney governments. The IFR was expected to have similar scale and public impact to that experienced during previous reviews held in Sydney, as the RAN 75th Anniversary (1986) and the Bicentennial Naval Salute (1988).^[2] It was also confirmed that Prince Harry would attend the IFR as part of his first official visit to Australia.^[3]

Some 40 warships and 16 tall ships were expected to participate in the review, of which a line of seven RAN ships symbolised the 1913 entry itself. The ships were greeted by the Governor-General of Australia, Quentin Bryce, from Bradleys Head on 4 October. She and Prince Harry officially reviewed the fleet on 5 October as part of the Ceremonial Fleet Review.^[4]

The tall ships departed on 10 October, and the warships did so on 11 October to take part in the naval exercise Triton Centenary.

Associated events

In addition to the fleet review itself, the following events were scheduled to coincide with the IFR:^[5]

IFR in Jervis Bay
RAN Sea Power Conference 2013
Pacific 2013 International Maritime Congress and Exposition
Exercise TRITON CENTENARY
International Fleet Review 2013 Art Competition^[6]

1913 Fleet entry

On 21 June 1913, the battlecruiser HMAS Australia was commissioned at Portsmouth, and sailed towards Australia on 25 July 1913 accompanied by the also new light cruiser HMAS Sydney. On 2 October 1913 both ships arrived at Jervis Bay, New South Wales, where the rest of the Australian fleet joined them: the protected cruiser Encounter, the light cruiser Melbourne, and the destroyers Parramatta, Warrego, and Yarra.

On 4 October 1913 the ships, led by Australia, entered Sydney Harbour in an event that was witnessed by thousands of sightseers around the harbour, amidst nationalistic euphoria.^[7]

Events planned for the week

A summary of the main events planned for the IFR 2013 week is listed below.^[8]

3 October: Tall ships enter Sydney Harbour
4 October: Warships enter Sydney Harbour
4 October: RAN Helicopter Display Team & RAAF Roulettes
4 October: Ceremonial Fleet Entry & 21-gun Salute
5 October: Ceremonial Fleet Review by the Governor-General of Australia
5 October: Formation flypast and Air Displays by civil and military helicopters and aircraft
5 October: IFR Fireworks and Lightshow Spectacular
6 & 7 October: Tall ships & Warships Open Days
7 to 9 October: Sea Power Conference 2013 & Pacific 2013 International Maritime Exposition
8 October: Freedom of Entry to Mosman CBD & Parramatta CBD
9 October: Combined Navies Parade, Sydney CBD
10 October: Tall ships depart Sydney Harbour
10 October: International Fleet Review Sailing Regatta
11 October: Warships depart Sydney Harbour

Participants

As of 2 October 2013, the following participants from about 20 nations were confirmed.^[9]

Warships

Royal Australian Navy: 19 ships
Other Navies: 18 ships from 17 navies

Tall ships

Australia: 10 ships
Other countries: 6 ships, from 4 countries

Civilian ships

Australia: 3 ships, including the steam launch Lady Hopetoun which participated in the event of 1913.

Military aircraft

Royal Australian Navy: helicopters from 5 squadrons and the Heritage Flight
Royal Australian Air Force: helicopters from 5 squadrons and the Roulettes display team
Australian Army: helicopters from 1 squadron
Other Air Forces: naval aircraft and helicopters from 4 nations

Civil aircraft

Aircraft and helicopters from 7 emergency services
Vintage aircraft from the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society
Privately owned aircraft

Bands

Participating naval bands included:

Royal Australian Navy Band
RAN’s first Indigenous Performance Group^[10]
Royal New Zealand Navy Band
Her Majesty's Royal Marines Band
Australian Navy Cadet Band, TS Hobart

Gallery

HMAS Darwin and Sydney Open Day
HMAS Darwin and Sydney Open Day
HMAS Tobruk Open Day
HMAS Tobruk Open Day
HMAS Tobruk HMAS Tobruk Bridge
NH90 on HMAS Tobruk rear flight deck
Tall ships sailing near South Head on the second day of the review
ADV Ocean Shield during International Fleet Review 2013
RAN Centenary Squirrel helicopter
Royal Australian Navy Ensign
HMAS Perth (FFH 157)
HMAS Benalla (A 04)
HMAS Tarakan (L 129)
HMAS Gascoyne (M 85)
HMAS Sydney (FFG 03)
HMAS Darwin (FFG 04)
HMAS Broome (ACPB 90)
Lockheed AP-3C Orions
Navy Helicopter Fly Past

References

Notes

^ "RAN-IFR website - About IFR 2013". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ "RAN-IFR website - About IFR 2013". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ "IFR website - News - Attendance of Prince Harry". Archived from the original on 1 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ "RAN-IFR website - About IFR 2013". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ "IFR website - Associated Events". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ "IFR Art Competition website". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ "IFR website - 1913 Fleet Entry". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ "IFR website - List of events". Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ "IFR website - Participants". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ "IFR website – News - Debut of the RAN IPG". Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.

Bibliography

The Navy, 75 (4), Sydney, NSW, Australia: Navy League of Australia, October–December 2013 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to International Fleet Review 2013.

RAN - IFR Home page
International Tall Ship Festival 2013 Home Page
International Maritime Exposition 2013 Home Page
RAN Sea Power Conference 2013 Home Page
IFR Image library
IFR Art Competition website
Australian National Maritime Museum webpage - Tall ships Open Day

Royal Australian Navy

Australian Defence Force

Command

Chief of Navy
Deputy Chief of Navy
Commander Australian Fleet
Director-General Maritime Operations
Commodore Flotillas
Warrant Officer of the Navy

Organisation

Royal Australian Naval Reserve
Australian Navy Cadets
Maritime Border Command
Royal Australian Navy School of Underwater Medicine
Units and Formations

Fleet Command	Surface Force Fleet Air Arm (723 Squadron, 725 Squadron, 808 Squadron, 816 Squadron) Submarine Service Patrol Boat Forces Mine Warfare Forces Clearance Diving Branch Australian Hydrographic Service (Laser Airborne Depth Sounder Flight)
Navy Headquarters	Navy Engineering, Regulation, Certification and Safety Navy Capability Navy People Training and Resources Royal Australian Naval College

Ships and
equipment

Current fleet (Anzac-class frigate, Adelaide-class frigate, Collins-class submarine, Canberra-class landing helicopter dock, Bay-class landing ship, Armidale-class patrol boat, Huon-class minehunter, HMAS Sirius, Leeuwin-class survey vessel, Paluma-class motor launch, Young Endeavour, Cape-class patrol boat)
All ships
Aircraft
Naval procurement programme
Equipment
Craft of Opportunity Program