Fostering a better understanding of how they operate in the maritime environment was the aim of the Passage Exercise (PASSEX) conducted between HMAS Ballarat (Commander Jonathan Earley) and the People’s Revolutionary Army – Navy frigate Anqing (LCDR Hu Jinchun) at the mouth of the Yangtze River on 2
Thales has been awarded a contract to supply minesweeping equipment for the Republic of Korea Navy’s (ROKN) new Mine Sweeper Hunters. The contract signed with ITT Corporation (now ITT Exelis) is for the supply of three ship sets of Advanced Acoustic Generators (AAGs) from Thales in Australia. These
The rain held back as the sun shined, while the US Navy Band played ’Waltzing Matilda’ to a captive audience outside the US Navy Memorial in Washington DC. Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, both US Navy and Royal Australian Navy forces were well represented at the ce
‘Welcome to China’, that was the signalled greeting afforded to HMAS Ballarat (Commander Jonathan Earley) by warships of the PLA-N, as Ballarat carefully weaved her way through the busy nine hour pilotage that encompassed transits of the Yangtz and Huangpu Rivers into Shanghai on 17 May 12. Escorted
Service members and civilians aboard Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) celebrated Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, May 20, while underway for Pacific Partnership 2012 (PP12). Crew members participated in an educational brief, singing, dancing and a fashion show fo
Dundee Beach, south of Darwin was the venue on Friday for the culmination of two weeks of training for seven Royal Australian Navy ships participating in Exercise TRITON THUNDER 01-12. HMA Ships Ararat, Larrakia, Diamantina, Gascoyne, Balikpapan, Shepparton, Benalla, AS350BA Squirrel Helicopters fro
Royal New Zealand Navy patrol ships will continue protecting New Zealand’s coastal waters 365 days of the year, the Navy has confirmed. Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Tony Parr, says New Zealanders will notice little difference as the Navy reorganises how it delivers its patrol commitments during a per
On May 17, the Anzac Class Guided Missile Frigate, HMAS Ballarat, began a five-day ship visit to Shanghai, China. Ballarat will be docked at the northern end of Shanghai’s historic Bund from 17-21 May. The visit will involve cultural exchanges and visits to significant icons in Shanghai. The exercis
HMAS Ballarat (Commanger Jonathan Earley) has been making waves in the South China Seas as part of the maritime component for the annual Five Power Defence Arrangement Exercise – Bersama Shield. Exercise Bersama Shield 12 (Ex BS12) saw Ballarat join forces with Malaysian Frigate KD Lekiu and Singapo
Defence ties between Australia and Indonesia continue to strengthen with the conclusion of the biennial patrol boat exercise CASSOWARY. Royal Australian Navy Armidale Class Patrol Boats HMA Ships Ararat and Larrakia joined with Indonesian Armed Forces patrol boats KRI Kakap and KRI Tongkol for the e
Lockheed Martin successfully demonstrated the latest variant of its new launching system that maximizes the use of existing hardware and electronics to reduce the integration costs of weapons by more than 50 percent. During a May 5 test at the Royal Australian Air Force’s Woomera Test Range in South
There were big smiles all round when four air crew from 723 Squadron dropped in for a special visit to children from Darwin’s family cancer charity Camp Quality. The Squadron’s AS350 Squirrel helicopter landed before a delighted crowd of children, parents and volunteers at the Australian Aviation He
USS George Washington (CVN 73) departed Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, May 12 to conduct sea trials in preparation for the ship’s next patrol. George Washington sailed from its Truman Bay pier into open waters to begin a certification process that will ensure the ship, its equipment and crew are
Navigating the picturesque confines of the north and south islands of New Zealand proved to be the perfect training assessment for HMAS Newcastle. In her capacity as the training task group ship, HMAS Newcastle deployed to New Zealand to conduct training and assessment for the Long Navigation Course
