Maintaining a steady flow of communication

HMAS Sydney Surface Warfare Officer LEUT Fergus Buckley recently spent a week on board JS Fuyuzuki, a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Akizuki-class destroyer, in the western Pacific Ocean.

LEUT Buckley joined Fuyuzuki in Guam during Exercise Pacific Vanguard, where he was tasked as the liaison officer between Sydney and the Commander Task Group (CTG) CAPT Koakutsu Seiichi under Surface Warfare Squadron 3.

Pacific Vanguard is a biennial, multilateral integrated air and missile defence exercise that in 2026 involved participants from the RAN, Royal Canadian Navy, JMSDF, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Republic of Korea Navy and US Navy.

Now in its eighth iteration, Pacific Vanguard brings together nations contributing to the security, prosperity, freedom and stability of the Indo-Pacific region.

LEUT Buckley said he facilitated a constant flow of information between the CTG and Sydney.

“My role within the CTG staff was to assist CAPT Koakutsu Seiichi in his decision-making for the task group and help him understand how decisions would affect Sydney and her embarked MH-60R,” LEUT Buckley said.

“I was in regular contact with Sydney’s warfare officers to provide information and feedback to both the CTG and the ship’s command team.

“I sat alongside a team of liaison officers from Canada and the US and gained an understanding of not just Japanese operations but US and Canadian operations as well.”

LEUT Buckley enjoyed the experience and recommended serving as an afloat liaison officer role during an international exercise to anyone who has the opportunity.

“This was my first time working in an embarked staff, so I learnt about the flow of information to command,” LEUT Buckley said.

“Not just of a single ship, but as an officer in command of multiple units, and how the CTG makes decisions based on the information he’s been given.

"The experience gave me valuable insight into multinational command-and-control arrangements and coalition operations.”

LEUT Buckley said he was not at all surprised by how good the food was on board.

“It was exceptionally well prepared and served,” he said.

“They showcased traditional Japanese food from all over Japan, including dishes from the region of the ship’s home port in Maizuru, a city in Kyoto Prefecture. My favourite meal of the week was the Japanese curry.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to spend a week aboard and have made some new friends whose paths I am sure will cross with mine again. Thank you to the crew of Fuyuzuki for having me.”