- For other nations' naval work divers, see Clearance Diver
A Clearance Diver was originally a specialist naval diver who used explosives underwater to remove obstructions to make harbours and shipping channels safe to navigate, but later the term "clearance diver" was used to include other naval underwater work...
.
The
Clearance Diving Teams (CDT)
http://www.navy.gov.au/Publication:Navy_Contribution_to_Australian_Maritime_Operations of the
Royal Australian NavyThe Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following federation of the Australian Colonies in 1901, the former colonial navies merged to become the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
also act as commando frogmen: they consist of naval personnel who are qualified in
divingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
,
demolitionDemolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
s, underwater repairs, and
reconnaissanceReconnaissance is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information. Militarily, its shorthand Canadian and British form is recce , its American usage form is recon...
.
Discussion
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- For other nations' naval work divers, see Clearance Diver
A Clearance Diver was originally a specialist naval diver who used explosives underwater to remove obstructions to make harbours and shipping channels safe to navigate, but later the term "clearance diver" was used to include other naval underwater work...
.
The
Clearance Diving Teams (CDT)
http://www.navy.gov.au/Publication:Navy_Contribution_to_Australian_Maritime_Operations of the
Royal Australian NavyThe Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following federation of the Australian Colonies in 1901, the former colonial navies merged to become the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
also act as commando frogmen: they consist of naval personnel who are qualified in
divingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
,
demolitionDemolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
s, underwater repairs, and
reconnaissanceReconnaissance is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information. Militarily, its shorthand Canadian and British form is recce , its American usage form is recon...
. They fulfil a Maritime Counter-Terrorist role as part of the waterborne troop of the Tactical Assault Group East (TAG EAST).
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/navynews/editions/4519/topstories/story01.htm
Units
There are two standing units based in Australia;
- Clearance Diving Team One (AUSCDT ONE); assigned to the east of Australia and based at HMAS Waterhen
HMAS Waterhen is a shore establishment of the Royal Australian Navy , located in Waverton, Sydney. Constructed on the site of a quarry used to expand Garden Island in the 1930s, the location was used during World War II as a boom net maintenance and storage area. In 1962, the area was commissioned...
http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Waterhen in New South WalesNew South Wales is Australia's most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria, south of Queensland and east of South Australia...
- Clearance Diving Team Four (AUSCDT FOUR); assigned to the west of Australia and based at HMAS Stirling
HMAS Stirling is the name given to the administrative centre of the Royal Australian Navy's main naval base on the west coast , located on Garden Island just off the Western Australian coast near the city of Perth...
http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Stirling in Western AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Australia's largest state and the second largest subnational entity in the world, it has 2.2 million inhabitants , 85% of whom live in the south-west corner of the state.The state's capital...
A third unit, Clearance Diving Team Three (AUSCDT THREE) is formed when clearance divers are sent into combat. CDT 3 saw extensive service in the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
, and during the 1991
Gulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , known also as the Gulf War, the First Gulf War,or often as the Second Gulf War and by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as The Mother of all Battles, or commonly as Desert Storm, for the military response...
and the 2003
Iraq WarThe Iraq War, also known as the Occupation of Iraq or Operation Iraqi Freedom, is an ongoing military campaign which began on March 20, 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a multinational force led by troops from the United States and the United Kingdom.Prior to the war, the governments of the United...
.
There are seven Reserve Diving Teams (RDT) that provide reinforcements for the regular CDTs:
- Reserve Diving Team Six - Victoria
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales to the north, South Australia to the west, and Tasmania to the south, across the Bass Strait. Victoria is the most densely populated state, with over 70% of...
- Reserve Diving Team Seven - Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Australia's largest state and the second largest subnational entity in the world, it has 2.2 million inhabitants , 85% of whom live in the south-west corner of the state.The state's capital...
- Reserve Diving Team Eight - Southern Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia that occupies the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
- Reserve Diving Team Nine - South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories....
- Reserve Diving Team Ten - Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
- Reserve Diving Team Eleven - Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
- Reserve Diving Team Twelve - Northern Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia that occupies the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
Role
The Clearance Diving Teams' roles include:
1. Mine Counter Measures (MCM) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), including:-
- Location and disposal of sea mines in shallow waters
- Rendering safe and recovering enemy mines
- The search for and disposal of ordnance below the high water mark
- Clearance of surface ordnance in port or on naval facilities
- Search for, rendering safe or disposal of all ordnance in RAN ships and facilities, including the removal of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)
2. Maritime Tactical Operations including:-
- Clandestine hydrographic survey of an amphibious beach
- Clandestine clearance or demolition of sea/land mines and/or obstacles
- Clandestine placing of charges, demolitions for the purpose of diversion or demonstration
- Underwater Battle Damage Repair
3.Tactical Assault Group
Training
The RAN's
diver trainingDiver training is the process of developing skills and building experience in the use of diving equipment and techniques so that the diver is able to dive safely and have fun....
program is centered around a week-long clearance diver assessment test (CDAT), colloquially known as "hell week". Recruits begin each day at 2 am in the morning, and are put through over thirty staged dives designed to test their strength and endurance.
Operations
- In the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
, Clearance Diving Team 3 was awarded the United States Meritorious Unit CommendationThe Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
for its mine clearance work: see Non-U.S. winners of U.S. gallantry awards.
- Performed mine clearance operations for Coalition Forces during the 1991 Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , known also as the Gulf War, the First Gulf War,or often as the Second Gulf War and by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as The Mother of all Battles, or commonly as Desert Storm, for the military response...
.
- In the East Timor
East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecussi-Ambeno, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
conflict, covertly mapping IndonesiaThe Republic of Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia comprises 17,508 islands. With an estimated population of around 237 million people, it is the world's fourth most populous country, with the world's largest population of Muslims.Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n harbours and beaches.
- 2003: In the Iraq War
The 2003 invasion of Iraq, was led by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia, Denmark, Poland and Spain. Four countries participated with troops during the initial invasion phase, which lasted from March 20 to May 1...
, where they supported Naval Special Clearance Team ONE in mine clearance operations in the port of Umm Qasr.