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RNZN DRIVES OFF INDONESIAN SUBMARINES
(1) HMNZS Canterbury detecting an Indonesian submarine off Oecussi; and
(2) HMNZS Canterbury detecting an Indonesian submarine off Suai
A description of the Oecussi detection is reported on the Torpedo Bay Navy Museum
The Commander of HMNZS Canterbury reported that in 1999 during the East Timor INTERFET Operation Intelligence had not directly stated the submarine threat but "we were all aware of the Indonesian force capability in this area with 209 and 206 type subs and were not going to take chances. . . Canterbury stumbled on a submarine contact while working with HMAS SYDNEY off the Oecussi enclave. We have no way of evaluating what the contact may have been"
A description of the RNZN Suai detection is reported by the Sydney Morning Herald
"Indonesian submarines and combat aircraft shadowed so closely ships carrying Australian and New Zealand troops into East Timor in 1999 that escorting warships went onto full battle stations alert"
"tensions caused by Indonesian deployments of submarines, missile-boats and fighters"
The Indonesian Navy's two German-built Type 209 submarines appeared around East Timor and the air force deployed aircraft, including a small number of fighters, to West Timor, from where they adopted "aggressive probing tactics".
"The submarines shadowed the Interfet fleet, with one of them detected by the frigate HMNZS Canterbury close to the landing of New Zealand soldiers at Suai."
"The submarine contacts were passed on to defence headquarters in Canberra, which took them up with Jakarta. "In response, and once the Australian higher level commanders had provided information on the location of the submarines that was convincing, the appropriate TNI commander admitted his submarines had been deployed and agreed to retire them from the area"
Thank you Luxasnz for pointing me in the right direction. May I ask if the two events were:Q1 - Depends if you mean on the surface by "seen" For the rest of your question such matters are typically subject to operational security (OPSEC) and are not discussed as a matter of practice, and often not even disclosed to the rest of the ships company on frigates. There are two publicly disclosed events where the RNZN has either detected or being part of task force that has detected a submarine since the end of Cold War - in both cases they occurred in East Timor.
(1) HMNZS Canterbury detecting an Indonesian submarine off Oecussi; and
(2) HMNZS Canterbury detecting an Indonesian submarine off Suai
A description of the Oecussi detection is reported on the Torpedo Bay Navy Museum
The Commander of HMNZS Canterbury reported that in 1999 during the East Timor INTERFET Operation Intelligence had not directly stated the submarine threat but "we were all aware of the Indonesian force capability in this area with 209 and 206 type subs and were not going to take chances. . . Canterbury stumbled on a submarine contact while working with HMAS SYDNEY off the Oecussi enclave. We have no way of evaluating what the contact may have been"
A description of the RNZN Suai detection is reported by the Sydney Morning Herald
"Indonesian submarines and combat aircraft shadowed so closely ships carrying Australian and New Zealand troops into East Timor in 1999 that escorting warships went onto full battle stations alert"
"tensions caused by Indonesian deployments of submarines, missile-boats and fighters"
The Indonesian Navy's two German-built Type 209 submarines appeared around East Timor and the air force deployed aircraft, including a small number of fighters, to West Timor, from where they adopted "aggressive probing tactics".
"The submarines shadowed the Interfet fleet, with one of them detected by the frigate HMNZS Canterbury close to the landing of New Zealand soldiers at Suai."
"The submarine contacts were passed on to defence headquarters in Canberra, which took them up with Jakarta. "In response, and once the Australian higher level commanders had provided information on the location of the submarines that was convincing, the appropriate TNI commander admitted his submarines had been deployed and agreed to retire them from the area"
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