Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced on June 30 that the Navy’s newest ship, Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield, had arrived in Australia. Ocean Shield arrived at HMAS Stirling late on 28 June. In March the Government announced it had p
The Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith, announced that the Royal Australian Navy would participate in a unique deployment to Australia of the Spanish Armada Ship, SPS Cantabria, with a series of training exercises in Australia from mid-February until November 2013. The Cantabria deployment will str
A clear lower deck was called at 808 Squadron on 4 June so the Squadron could assemble to watch their Commanding Officer, Commander Charlie Stephenson, touch down in a MRH90 after reaching his 4000th flying hour. “This is a very significant milestone, particularly for a helicopter pilot”, Executive
“These are indeed exciting times”, 723 Squadron Commanding Officer, Commander Matthew Shand told the assembled guests as the Royal Australian Navy marked the introduction of the Bell 429 helicopter into service with a ceremony at HMAS Albatross on 5th June. “Since 1953, when 723 and the RAN received
Mast modules for the 27,000 tonne Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), fabricated and constructed at BAE Systems Henderson, facility are now completed and ready to be transported to Melbourne. The three mast modules weighing between 19 and 36 tonnes will form part of the superstructure of the LHDs and wil
Four members of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) are preparing to face an audience of two billion people on Sunday, following an invitation to participate in this weekend’s Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant in London. The four will form a ceremonial “Guard” around Her Majesty, during one of the biggest
The Navy has successfully conducted trials of flying an SH-2G Seasprite helicopter from the deck of one of its Offshore Patrol Vessels, HMNZS OTAGO, marking a significant milestone in achieving the ship’s full operational potential. The trials have been conducted over the past month during which the
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
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
Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare announced the arrival in Adelaide of the first of three state of the art horizon-search radars for the Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD). “The AN/SPQ-9B radar is located on the main mast of the destroyers and can track over 200 radar contacts simulta
Naval personnel from India and the United States will participate in Exercise Malabar 2012, April 9-16. Malabar is a regularly scheduled naval field training exercise and has grown in scope and complexity over the years. Malabar 2012 is the latest in a continuing series of exercises conducted to adv
Chief Petty Officer Simon Hustwit’s years of experience manoeuvring a 22.15 metre helicopter were obvious when he reverse-parked Sea King Shark 07 at the Fleet Air Arm Museum yesterday. The Sea King is the latest addition to the Museum’s collection and has been installed in time for Easter and schoo
Forward-deployed amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) returned to Sasebo after participating in Cobra Gold 2012 (CG12), March 5. Germantown departed Sasebo Jan. 30 to onload Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in White Beach, Okinawa, Feb. 1 prior to beginning CG12,
Exercise SQUADEX is currently being conducted in waters off Townsville and Cowley Beach in North Queensland and is the first of a series of two exercises in which Australia’s newest ship, HMAS Choules, conducts amphibious and flying operations with elements of the Australian Army. HMAS Choules deliv
