Australian Clearance Diving Branch
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| Australian Clearance Diving Branch | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Clearance Diving Branch |
| Dates | 1941–present |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Royal Australian Navy |
| Type | Clearance Divers |
| Role | Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Mine Warfare, Maritime Counterterrorism, Salvage |
| Size | Classified |
| Garrison | HMAS Watson |
| Nickname | Clearance Divers |
Australian Clearance Diving Branch The Clearance Diving Branch is the specialist maritime explosive ordnance disposal and combat diving element of the Royal Australian Navy. Established during World War II, the Branch conducts underwater explosive ordnance clearance, maritime counterterrorism, underwater engineering, and salvage operations in support of Australian Defence Force maritime and joint operations. Clearance divers have operated alongside units from the Royal Navy, United States Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, and regional partners during humanitarian, combat, and security missions.
History
Clearance diving capability traces to the formation of the Royal Australian Navy's mine countermeasures units in 1941 amid World War II. Early clearance diving tasks included wreck removal, port clearance, and counter-mine operations in the Pacific War theater, supporting operations such as the liberation of Borneo campaign (1945) and operations around New Guinea campaign. Postwar activities involved clearing legacy ordnance from shipping lanes after Battle of the Coral Sea and during regional reconstruction, with divers supporting missions during the Korean War and Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. During the late 20th century, the Branch participated in peacekeeping and coalition operations including Gulf War, INTERFET, and operations in the Persian Gulf alongside forces from the United States Central Command and Coalition forces in Afghanistan. The Branch evolved with technological and doctrinal influences from the United Kingdom's Royal Navy Clearance Divers and the United States Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal community.
Role and Responsibilities
Clearance divers provide specialized maritime explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) to protect naval assets such as HMAS Canberra (L02), HMAS Adelaide (L01), and other fleet units during operations. Duties include ship hull inspections, neutralisation of limpet mines and improvised explosive devices encountered in littoral environments, and support to amphibious assaults with units like 1st Commando Regiment and the 2nd Commando Regiment when required for maritime counterterrorism. The Branch undertakes underwater search and recovery for high-value items and human remains in coordination with the Australian Federal Police and state police services. They contribute to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief alongside agencies such as the Australian Civil-Military Centre during events like 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami response and maritime salvage after natural disasters.
Organisation and Units
The Branch is organised within the Royal Australian Navy structure and operates from bases including HMAS Watson and forward-deployed detachments aboard ships such as the Huon-class minehunters and amphibious ships. Clearance Diving Teams (CDTs) are task-organised for missions and often embed with units from the Royal Australian Air Force and Australian Army for joint operations. The Branch coordinates with international units, notably the Royal Navy's Clearance Diving Group, the United States Navy EOD teams, and the Royal New Zealand Navy divers during multinational exercises like Talisman Sabre and RIMPAC. Administrative and training oversight integrates personnel policy from the Chief of Navy and capability development with the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group.
Training and Selection
Selection begins with rigorous physical and psychological screening aligned to standards used by the Australian Defence Force for specialisations. Initial training occurs at the Clearance Diving training establishment at HMAS Watson and incorporates diving certification consistent with International Maritime Organization-aligned protocols and allied interoperability standards. Courses include combat diving, demolition, underwater search, and hyperbaric medicine culminating in qualification as a clearance diver. Advanced training exchanges have been conducted with the United States Navy EOD School, the Royal Navy's Diving School, and tactical instruction with the Special Air Service Regiment for maritime counterterrorism skills.
Equipment and Capabilities
Clearance divers employ mixed-gas rebreathers, surface-supplied diving systems, and remotely operated vehicles such as mine countermeasure ROVs to conduct operations on platforms including the Huon-class minehunter and amphibious assault ships. Demolition tools include shaped charges and precision cutting charges adapted for underwater use; ordnance render-safe procedures follow doctrine interoperable with NATO EOD standards. For diving medicine and decompression, hyperbaric chambers at naval bases and hospitals support treatment consistent with protocols used by the Australian Defence Force Rehabilitation Centre. The Branch integrates intelligence from naval reconnaissance assets including P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and coordinates explosive ordnance disposal with naval mine warfare data from allied centres such as the NATO Centre of Excellence.
Notable Operations and Deployments
Clearance divers have been prominent in operations such as post-conflict port clearance after the Gulf War and ordnance clearance during INTERFET in Timor-Leste. They supported the multinational salvage and search efforts after the Cole bombing aftermath of allied port security operations, conducted mine countermeasure tasks in the Persian Gulf during coalition deployments, and participated in counter-IED and explosive ordnance disposal missions in support of Australian forces during operations related to Operation Slipper. Domestic responses have included explosive removal after incidents in Australian ports and underwater forensic recovery for investigations undertaken with the Australian Federal Police. Multinational exercises such as RIMPAC and Talisman Sabre have showcased the Branch's interoperability with the United States Navy, Royal Navy, and other Indo-Pacific partners.