Australian Captain Phillipa Hay leads multinational Pacific force
Captain Phillipa Hay is accustomed to many “firsts” but the navy officer and mother-of-three was taken aback by the latest once in a 50-year achievement.
National
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A decorated navy officer and mother of three has become the first Australian woman to be appointed to command a multinational naval force in the almost 50-year history of complex warfighting exercises off the United States coast.
The appointment of Royal Australian Navy officer Captain Phillipa Hay to command the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, the first non-US military woman since its 1971 inception, is the culmination of a lifetime on the water.
She is already used to “firsts” in her maritime life, which started from when as a 10-year-old she sailed around the world with her family, including the first female to qualify as a naval ship’s diver, first female on an Australian “minor war vessel training group” and now commanding a RIMPAC task force.
“I hope my journey serves as an inspiration to all who wish to serve,” Capt Hay said yesterday of her appointment as the RAN’s Facebook page attracted thousands of likes.
She credited the RAN to allow success to anyone regardless of gender.
“In the Royal Australian Navy, there are no limitations,” Hay said. “We pride ourselves on richness of diversity and being a reflection of the Australian community. I look around and see only proud sailors and officers serving the RAN and Australia.”
The biennial RIMPAC exercise is seen as the most critical training for Allied nations, combining land, air and sea battle groups to contribute to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Captain Hay is today commanding more than 2500 sailors and officers across 11 warships from Australia, Japan, Canada, US, France and the Philippines.
Capt Hay said these days were “challenging times” and the exercise was about strengthening interoperability with regional partners and allies.
“I am proud to be part of an Australia force which, with our partners and allies, can continue to train and operate in these challenging times,” she said. “It demonstrates our collective true grit and resilience.”
The US Navy’s Pacific Fleet commander Admiral John C. Aquilino welcomed Capt. Hay’s appointment for what he described as critical building of collective allied strength in a Pacific security environment, he previously described as under threat from the increased weaponisation by China designed to “bully” nations.
“The growing security environment in the Pacific demands now more than ever that like-minded nations join forces to build trust and collective strength to ensure a continuing free and open Pacific for all nations and it is my honour to be standing side-by-side with capable, adaptive partners,” he said of Australia’s RIMPAC leadership.
In 2014, Capt Hay was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross at the Queen’s Honours for her service to duty during the ADF’s Operation Resolute contribution to the Federal Government’s turning back refugee boats and border protection operation.
She conceded then personal cost was time away from family which she credited for her success through their “unwavering encouragement and understanding”.
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