HMAS Newcastle sails for Persian Gulf

Originally at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200505/s1374726.htm

Monday, May 23, 2005

Australia's latest naval deployment to the Persian Gulf has sailed out of Sydney.

The guided missile frigate, HMAS Newcastle, has embarked on its third tour of the Gulf.

It will take over the work of HMAS Darwin, which is just concluding its six-month operation.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Teresa Gambaro, says it is an important part of the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the area.

"It'll be involved in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Iraq," she said.

"It has a very important mission of monitoring, intercepting and boarding vessels, which are suspected of having illegal fuel and also unregulated cargo."