Lombrum is the home port of the PNGDF's Pacific-class patrol boat force.

At the base was the Large auxiliary floating drydock USS ABSD-4 and ASDB-2, able to repair the largest capital ships.

The facility was abandoned by the Americans in 1946 with the downsizing of their military and their policy of containment shifted strategic focus away from the southern Pacific.

[2] The Australian government took over the site, redeveloped it, and reopened it as the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base HMAS Seeadler, commissioning on 1 January 1950[2][4] to replace the RAN base at Dreger Harbour, near Finschhafen.

[2][6] The base was used as a refueling and stores point for RAN ships traveling between Australia and South East Asia.