Beachgoers at Caloundra were shocked to see a giant naval ship just offshore on Tuesday, when it made its way towards the Port of Brisbane.
Even local Coast Guard members were surprised, and awestruck, when the USS America cruised past.
Caloundra Coast Guard commander Roger Pearce said the amphibious assault ship came close to land and impressed everyone within eyesight.
“It was probably a couple of hundred metres offshore,” he said.
“Heaps of people on the beaches saw it. It would have been a spectacle for them.
“Our radio crew saw it and they couldn’t believe how big the ship was: it’s massive.
“It’s similar to an aircraft carrier but most of the planes come and land on it like helicopters or hovercrafts, so it’s a really interesting vessel.”
All ships that enter the Port of Brisbane go past Caloundra and via the North West Channel, between Bribie and Moreton Islands.
It was escorted by Queensland Water Police.
The ship docked in Brisbane for a three-day visit, ahead of the Talisman Sabre training exercise in northern Australia, which will involve more than 30,000 military personnel from the United States, Australia and other allied nations.
The crew said, via social media, that they were looking forward to visiting the River City.
“The entire crew is excited to experience the wonderful culture, history and sights the city offers,” they posted.
USS America is a $A5 billion, 257-metre warship, crewed by 2000 sailors and marines.
It carries 20 aircraft, including six F-35B Lightning II joint strike fighters that have vertical take-off and landing capability.
It is usually based in Japan and designed to support F-35B fighters and to deploy marines via transport aircraft and helicopters.
Marines from Ghost Battalion on Tuesday showed off their weaponry to media, including sniper rifles, machine guns and an M3A1 rocket launcher that can fire smoke bombs and anti-tank warheads.
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US Navy Captain Shockey Snyder spoke on flight deck, and he said Talisman Sabre continued a long tradition.
“We have a long history of partnerships with the people of Australia, we do a lot of military-to-military exercises and training with one of our closest allies here in Australia,” he said.
He said his ship and Marine Corps Colonel Matthew Danner’s 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit were trained for any crisis, from a humanitarian crisis to a combat engagement.
“Any country out there that has excessive maritime claims, that is not in accordance with international law, we would be prepared to conduct any tasking in response to that,” he said.
Col Danner said the Marine Corps had not noticed increased tensions and did not hope for combat but was ready for it at any time, and anywhere in the world.
-with AAP.
