Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Dr Mike Kelly AM MP, and the Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Timothy Barrett AM CSC RAN joined family and friends on the wharf at Garden Island, Sydney, to farewell HMAS Anzac as she sailed for her third tour of duty. The surface frigate’s departure mark
Military Sealift Command’s hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force amphibious ship Oosumi (LST4001) arrived in Vinh, Vietnam, in Nghe An province to begin the humanitarian civic assistance mission known as Pacific Partnership 2012 (PP12), July 10. Both vessels are
Sri Lanka Navy intercepted 2 multi-day trawlers illegally headed for Australia 35 nautical miles south-east of Trincomalee in the early hours of July 10. The intercepted trawlers were brought to the Trincomalee harbor with 82 persons including 78 men, 2 women and 2 children onboard. The over-crowded
Insitu Pacific, the Australia-based subsidiary of Insitu Inc., announced on July 9 that it was awarded a contract to provide its ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The delivery of these systems will be accompanied by training, logistics and ship install
Around 350 NZ Defence Force personnel are in the United States as the world’s largest international maritime exercise, Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC 2012), gets underway. HMNZS TE KAHA and HMNZS ENDEAVOUR have berthed at Honolulu port, and a Rifle Platoon from 1 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regi
Australian Defence Force personnel have been praised for their ongoing commitment to disaster response and humanitarian civic assistance in the Asia-Pacific region as the first ADF medical contingent rotates home from Pacific Partnership 2012 (PP12). PP12 Mission Commander Captain Jim Morgan (US Nav
Australian sailors, soldiers, airmen and women have joined defence forces from 21 other nations, including France, Canada and Russia, for Exercise RIM-OF-THE-PACIFIC (RIMPAC 12) in the islands of Hawaii. Approximately 1100 Australian Defence personnel are among 25,000 personnel participating in the
Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced the launch of the second Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) at the Navantia shipyard in Spain. The launch represented a major milestone in the shipbuilding process and was attended by the Chief of Navy, Vice
Spain and Australia have agreed today that the Combat Supply Ship Cantabria will operate with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from February to November 2013. This deployment will be the longest and most extensive that the Navy ship will have made to date. Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral General
HMNZS TE KAHA and HMNZS ENDEAVOUR sailed from Devonport Naval base at the beginning of June bound for Hawaii and Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC 2012), being conducted from 29 June to 3 August. Other units from the NZ Defence Force are also taking part in the exercise—the Operational Diving Team
Australia’s national submarine builder and maintainer of the six Collins Class submarines – ASC Pty Ltd has signed a new contract with the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) for the maintenance of the Collins Class submarines going forward. The new In Service Support Contract (ISSC) was announced y
Sri Lanka Navy intercepted a multiday fishing trawler bound for Australia in the seas off Negambo on 29th June 2012. The trawler had 09 Sri Lankan nationals onboard who had intended to enter Australia illegally. Initial investigations carried out by the Navy revealed that more persons were to be tak
To strengthen its defence business development activities and capabilities Austal has appointed former Deputy Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas, AO, CSC, RANR to the executive position of Vice President – Defence. Austal Chief Executive Officer Andrew Bellamy said the ski
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
