International Fleet Review: Public Viewing , Prince Harry Meet-and-Greet, The Royal Australian Navy, Global Warships [PHOTOS]
Global warships are sailing to Sydney Harbour for the International Fleet Review (IFR), happening between 6 am and 4 pm on Friday, Oct 5, 2013.
The International Fleet Review is an event commemorating the Navy's very first fleet entry 100 years ago. The event is expected to attract 1.4 million people into the city.
Forty warships are expected to enter Sydney Harbour.
The first warships, including 20 Royal Australian Navy, have already made their way into the Sydney Harbour.
Meanwhile, PLAN Qingdao from China, Singapore's RSS Endeavour and the Royal Malaysian Navy's KD Jebat entered harbour at about 8 am.
Warships from France, Spain and India are all also expected to enter Sydney Harbour anytime between 6 am and 4 pm.
At about 10 am, the Navy Helicopter Display Team and RAAF Roulettes put a show over the harbour.
Contingent of Australian Navy Ships - HMAS Sydney, Darwin, Bundaberg and Perth, performs 21-gun salute adjacent to Bradleys Head at 10 am.
On Saturday, Oct 5, is the main event as there will be more activities targeted for the entertainment of the visiting public, including a meet-and-greet with Prince Harry himself.
The fleet entry will be followed by a Ceremonial Fleet review by Her Excellency the Honourable Quentin Bryce AC CVO, the governor General of Australia at about 11 am to 2:30 pm on Saturday, Oct 5.
In the evening of Saturday, between 7:40 and 8:10, there will be Fireworks and Lightshow Spectacular in Sydney Harbour for the public's entertainment.
There will also be Navy band performances, air displays, parades, memorial services, sailing regattas and ship opening for the public to see any time from Oct 3 to 11.
The director of the IFR, Captain Nick Bramwell, shares with the excitement and anticipation of the crews participating in the event.
"The ships are currently at anchor after a busy period of consolidation between their first arrivals to Australia and passage to Jervis Bay, led by RAN HMAS Parramatta and HMAS Perth. We have a long and diverse list of international participants sailing alongside the RAN including representatives from Brunei, China, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, the UK and the USA. After their time together in Jervis Bay they are all well integrated, well rehearsed and looking magnificent for the event. The ships coming from Jervis Bay will join the rest of RAN ships outside of Sydney heads before the big fleet entry," Mr Bramwell stated.
After the IFR, some warships will convene to attend maritime training activities under the auspices of Exercise Triton Centenary 2 which takes place on Oct 11 - 18 in the East Australian Exercise Area.
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