On Sunday 21 December whilst conducting counter-piracy patrols, Spanish Navy warship, ESPS Rayo, met local seafarers in the Gulf of Aden. This is the third meeting that the crew from ESPS Rayo has carried out with local fishermen since her departure from Spain. ESPS Rayo is part of Spain’s contribut
All twenty recruits who participated in the second iteration of Navy’s Defence Indigenous Development Program (DIDP) graduated in a ceremony held in HMAS Cairns on 18 December. From communities as far afield as Perth, Port Headland, Torres Strait, Canberra and Cairns, the young indigenous men and wo
The Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Anzac sailed in early December with almost 252 family and friends embarked for a family sea day – the ship’s way of saying thanks to those special to them for their support in 2014 and into 2015. With the ship’s company having been away for ten months of 2014,
Lockheed Martin is being awarded $8,7 million for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order under a Basic Ordering Agreement to support technical evaluation and initial operational and evaluation of the Remote Minehunting System with the Littoral Combat Ship. Work will be performed in Palm Beach, Florida a
During the morning of 19th December, EU Naval Force Warship, ESPS Rayo, and the South Korean destroyer, ROKS Daejoyeong, met at sea to to enhance the relationship between EU Naval Force warships and those of other task forces operating in the area. ROKS Daejoyeong, whose main task is to escort convo
From 15 to 19 December, the EU Naval Force Flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, paid a port visit to Madagascar, berthing for the first time in the beautiful bay of Antsiranana. On Monday 15 December, Rear Admiral Guido Rando and the Commanding Officer of ITS Andrea Doria, Captain Angelo Virdis were received
General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, California, is being awarded a $7,2 million modification to a previously awarded contract for USS Peleliu (LHA 5) fiscal 2015 decommissioning. After 35 years of service, USS Peleliu (LHA 5) will be removed from active service and place
Austal USA is being awarded a $14,3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for class services in support of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program. Austal will provide engineering and design services, as well as affordability efforts to reduce
HMAS Stuart has wrapped up a successful port visit to its hometown of Devonport, Tasmania, with over 1,800 locals getting a tour of the ship. Between 12-14 December the ship’s company exercised their freedom of entry with a march through the town centre and opened the ship up to the public. The Devo
The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $171,1 million undefinitized modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of a P-8A training system in support of the P-8A training requirements for the government of Australia. In addition, t
The Royal Australian Navy operated Sail Training Ship Young Endeavour set sail from Sydney today for a 12-month voyage, circumnavigating the globe. Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Stuart Mayer was at the departure from Fleet Base East, and spoke with members of the Royal Australian Navy cre
HMAS Bundaberg was decommissioned from Royal Australian Navy service at a small ceremony in HMAS Cairns on 18 December. The Armidale Class Patrol Boat sustained extensive internal and external damage as a result of a fire during routine maintenance in Brisbane in August. At the ceremony hosted by Co
On 16 December, during her port visit to Antsiranana, the EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, conducted Local Maritime Capacity Building (LMCB) training with personnel from the Madagascan Navy. Italian Marines from ITS Andrea Doria provided instruction in techniques for the safe detainment of
After two years in a command that encompassed four Anzac class frigates, Commander Matthew Doornbos handed over command of HMAS Anzac to Commander Belinda Wood at a ceremony held alongside Sydney’s Fleet Base East last week. Commander Doornbos took command of HMAS Ballarat in November 2012, and has
