Construction works on the Royal Australian Navy’s new generation of offshore patrol vessels officially kicked off with a steel cutting ceremony on Wednesday. The steel cutting for the first of overall 12 vessels took place at Civmec’s Western Australia facility. Civmec will be responsible for buildi
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat has returned to port with a rescued solo round-the-world yachtsman. Ballarat’s MH-60R ‘Romeo’ Seahawk helicopter recovered Irish national, Gregor McGuckin, from a French scientific research station on Amsterdam Island after he was transported there by Fren
The biennial Five Power Defence Arrangements exercise Bersama Lima is starting in the South Cina Sea on Tuesday. Involving ships, aircraft and personnel from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK, the exercise will include live fire and command post exercises over a two-week period.
Australia’s Defence Science and Technology (DST) research agency has teamed with L3 technologies to boost research on new technologies in undersea command and control systems, spectrum sensing and shaping, and cyber assurance. “The government is investing $80 billion in Australia’s future submarines
The Indonesian Navy has recently deployed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with an aerial magnetic range to determine a ship’s magnetic signature. According to UAV manufacturer ECA Group, this is the first time a navy has used a drone to assess a vessel’s vulnerability to underwater mines and other
New Zealand’s Anzac-class frigate HMNZS Te Mana made a port call in Sandakan, Malaysia, marking the begin of the Southeast Asian leg of the New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) five-month engagement across the Asia-Pacific region. “Te Mana’s visits to Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam reflect the import
Australia is taking further steps to improve regional maritime security with an AUD5 million upgrade of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG’s) Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island. Wharf and shore-based infrastructure upgrades are to be undertaken by Fletcher Morobe Constructions Limited as part of the Australian
A Japanese Oyashio-class submarine joined a number of other JMSDF units for an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) drill in the South China Sea last week. This is reportedly the first time that Japan’s defense ministry has confirmed the participation of a submarine in a drill in the disputed South China Se
Cape Town-based shipbuilder Veecraft Marine has contracted Australia’s Incat Crowther for the design of a 20-meter monohull workboat for the South African Special Forces. The vessel will be tasked with the transportation of personnel and equipment and supporting training activities in coastal areas
Australia’s largest maritime exercise has wrapped up in the Top End, following an intensive two weeks of realistic and challenging engagements from the air and the sea. This year, a total of 23 ships, 21 aircraft, a submarine and 3,000 personnel from 27 visiting nations participated in the exercise.
ASC has launched a new partnership with Australian Asset Management Council (AM Council) to strengthen its life-cycle management execution of the Collins Class submarine fleet. As informed, the move follows ASC becoming the first Australian defense company recognized with international certification
BAE Systems Australia has welcomed the Royal Australian Navy’s third Anzac class warship to its Henderson facility. As explained, this is part of the navy’s fleet upgrade to keep the ships in service until they are replaced by the Hunter class frigates. The Mid Life Capability Assurance Program (AMC
Australia and New Zealand are deploying three aircraft to Japan to conduct maritime surveillance in support of the international effort to enforce United Nations Security Council resolutions on North Korea. Australia will deploy two AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, while New Zealand will send i
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has inspected 23 foreign-flagged fishing vessels on the high seas as part of joint maritime patrols it conducted recently with three other countries. Offshore patrol vessel HMNZS Otago and a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion aircraft supported the maritime
