Australian Destroyer Helping Enforce UN Sanctions Against North Korea

Royal Australian Navy Hobart-class guided missile destroyer HMAS Sydney has been deployed to Operation Argos, the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the multinational bid to enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea.

As per a recent Defence Australia press statement, HMAS Sydney’s latest mission marks the 13th time a RAN ship has been deployed to help enforce the sanctions since the UN’s Security Council first imposed them in 2018.

The sanctions limit North Korea’s imports of refined petroleum and crude oil, and its exports of coal.

Commander Ben Weller, HMAS Sydney’s Commanding Officer commented: “The ship’s company is proud to support this important work; upholding UNSC resolutions whilst also building their experience working with international partners.

“We work closely with the Enforcement Coordination Cell located at Yokosuka in Japan, and sail in areas where suspected illegal activity is expected to take place. The ship is equipped with an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and a suite of sensors that allow us to monitor illegal ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned goods.”

Based on the Navantia-designed F100 frigate and fitted with the Aegis Combat System, the 7,000-tonne destroyer is the newest of the RAN’s three-vessel Hobart class ships.

Its Aegis Combat System provides an advanced air defence capability that can engage aircraft and missiles more than 150km distant. It also carries an array of other weaponry including MU90 torpedoes, a Mk45 naval gun and the Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS).

The multinational operation is coordinated by the U.S. Seventh Fleet; it is also supported by assets from the U.K., Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand.

• You can read more details about HMAS Sydney’s deployment on the Defence Australia website