The Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, has met with his counterparts from New Zealand and the United Kingdom for the biennial BRITANZ meeting, held on 23 January 2013. Following successful bilateral meetings in Canberra earlier this week, General Hurley accompanied UK Chief of Defence
Australian Hydrographic Office in Wollongong announced that Commodore Rod Nairn, AM, RAN stepped down as Australia’s longest serving Hydrographer and was relieved by Commodore Brett Brace, RAN. “Hydrography has been my life” Commodore Nairn said, “I am immensely proud to have led such a professional
Royal Australian Air Force crews have helped save the lives of 13 people onboard two vessels at the opposite ends of Australia over a two-day period. In the first incident, an AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and its specialist crew located a vessel in distress with 12 people onboard about 520 n
The thunderous applause of 600 Muslim students was more than Navy Marine Engineer LEUT Rachel Bobko bargained for when she went to the Al-Faisal College in Sydney to present Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Awards. “I didn’t know what to expect and was overwhelmed by their warm welcome,” LEUT Bobko,
Two weeks into a 12 month deployment, ESPS Cantabria and her embarked 12 person RAN DET have been busy navigating their way through the Mediterranean Sea, Suez Canal and Red Sea en route to Australia. The principle objectives of Cantabria’s year long deployment to Australia is to provide afloat supp
Seven days after leaving Ferrol for transit to Australian waters, the Commanding Officer ESPS Cantabria (CMDR J.L. Nieto) and members of the crew of Cantabria showed solidarity with their Royal Australian Navy companions, from the RAN DET Cantabria, in paying their respects to the fallen at the Comm
The UK and Australia will strengthen their long-standing relationship today with a new defence treaty to provide a framework for the many strands of co-operation between the two countries. The treaty, to be signed in Perth today, Friday 18 January, with the Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith,
Austal announced the launch of the first-in-series Cape Class Patrol Boat during a ceremony with staff and suppliers at the company’s Henderson shipyard in Western Australia on January 7. The vessel is the first of eight new boats being built by Austal for the Australian Customs and Border Protectio
The Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba has departed her home port of Fleet Base West in Western Australia for a six-month deployment to the Middle East. Toowoomba and her crew of 180 men and women will relieve HMAS Anzac, which has been in the Middle East for the past six month
After a successful six-month deployment conducting maritime security and interception operations. in the Middle East Area of Operations HMAS Anzac (III) is heading home to Australia for some well deserved leave. The Royal Australian Navy frigate is heading home to Fleet Base East in Sydney after pat
On January the 3rd the Combat Replenishment Ship Cantabria left La Graña Naval Port in Spain for a one year deployment to Australia. Admiral Jaime Muñoz-Delgado (Spanish Navy Chief of Staff) and Admiral Santiago Bolivar (Admiral of the Fleet) attended the farewell ceremony. During his speech, Admira
Chinese and Australian naval officers shared their experiences in the conduct of counter-piracy operations in the Middle East Area of Operations at a roundtable meeting on thursday. Rear Admiral Zhou Xu-Ming Commander of the Chinese Naval Task Group and the commanding officers of three visiting Peop
During the Christmas period Navy ships will be at sea conducting maritime security patrols in the Middle East Area of Operations and on border protection duty in northern Australia. Additionally, Navy will be ready to provide any disaster relief assistance in Australia if required. Part of this assi
Austal has appointed Graham Backhouse to the position of General Manager of its Henderson Shipyard Operations (HSO) in Australia. Austal’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Bellamy, said Mr Backhouse would bring considerable value to the operation, which is now focussed on the design and manufacture o
