SYDNEY – The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WMSL 757) recently completed a port call in Sydney, Feb. 25, 2025, conducting several engagements with Australian partners that strengthened ties and furthered collaborative maritime security throughout Oceania. Reflecting the spirit of the Pacific Quadrilateral Defense Coordinating Group, the U.S. Coast Guard continues its vital collaboration with Australian law enforcement to identify maritime vulnerabilities and cooperate on solutions that reduce risks to safety, health, and security throughout the region.
While in Sydney, Midgett hosted a law enforcement partnership event with Australian and United States stakeholders. Participants, including U.S. Consul General in Sydney Christine Elder, U.S. Coast Guard Attaché Capt. Amanda Ramassini, representatives from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Secret Service, and Australian law enforcement and maritime security partners, joined the crew for breakfast and roundtable discussions in the wardroom, followed by a tour of the cutter. Law enforcement partners received a briefing on Midgett's capabilities and its current mission in the Pacific. Highlighting the close bond between the two nations and their agencies, Midgett’s Lt. Jake Behne recently deployed to the Torres Strait as an observer with the Australian Border Force (ABF) Fast Response Boat unit, and now an ABF Officer in Charge is set to sail aboard Midgett as an observer.
Separately, Sydney media outlets were invited aboard with the assistance of U.S. Consulate Sydney; the subsequent reporting on partnerships reached more than a million Australians.
Beyond official engagements, the crew of Midgett embraced the opportunity to experience Australian culture and history during a visit to the Australian National Maritime Museum.
"This visit to Sydney was more than just a port call; it was a chance to reinforce the vital link between the U.S. Coast Guard and our Australian counterparts,” said Capt. Matthew Rooney, Midgett's commanding officer. “The support we received from HMAS Kuttabul was first rate and the warm welcome from our Royal Australian Navy shipmates made our time here truly memorable."
The United States’ alliance with Australia remains a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The U.S. Coast Guard looks forward to continuing partnerships with Australia’s maritime and border forces to ensure a connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient Pacific.
Midgett, commissioned in 2019 and homeported in Honolulu, is the eighth Legend-class national security cutter. These 418-foot vessels are equipped with advanced technology, making them ideally suited to support a wide range of missions, including maritime security, law enforcement, and search and rescue operations.
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