Warship closes in
TONIGHT promises to be a restless evening for military buffs, boat enthusiasts and lovers of a man in uniform as the USS Essex steams ever closer to Cairns.
The 257m amphibious assault ship will dock in Cairns about 2am tomorrow and will stay for a week.
The boat, the biggest warship to ever visit the Far North, will take up Wharfs 1, 2 and 3 in Trinity Inlet.
The Essex and its nearly 4000-strong crew were meant to dock in Townsville but a lack of available berths resulted in the move to Cairns.
It is in Australian waters for the military exercise Talisman Sabre 2009, a joint operation with the Australian Defence Force beginning on July 6 and running through to July 26.
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The exercise will enable the Essex to conduct amphibious operations from the sea and project power ashore.
Commanding officer Brent Canady said he and his crew were looking forward to the exercise.
Captain Canady said the Essex would be loaded with CH-53E Sea Stallion, CH-46E Sea Hawk, AH-1W Super Cobra and UH-1N Huey helicopters, as well as AV-8B Harrier jets during its stay in Cairns.
Other items and provisions needed for the exercise were recently loaded onto the ship at its home port in Okinawa, Japan.
He said the experience of visiting Australia and working with its defence force would be a new experience for many members of his crew who had never visited Australia.
Private First Class officer Marcus Clark echoed his captain’s thoughts.
"Working with the Australians offers something new for us," he said.
"This isn’t something we get to do every day and I think the experience will allow us to learn from one another and grow."
Another US Navy boat, the smaller USS Tortuga, will also dock in Cairns on Sunday.
It is not yet known whether public access will be granted to the ships, but past navy vessels to dock in Cairns have had open days for the public. It is estimated the visit will inject more than $10 million into the Cairns economy.
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In action: Sailors assigned to the USS Essex.
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