The Australian government on January 31 announced it signed the patrol vessel construction contract with German shipbuilder Lürssen. Australian defense industry minster Christopher Pyne said the contract with Lürssen to lead the design and build is worth at least $3 billion for 12 OPVs. “The vessels
Navantia Australia announced it has teamed with Tasmanian firm Taylor Bros for work on the Royal Australian Navy’s Future Frigates. Navantia embedded a Taylor Bros team into its design and production teams for the SEA 5000 program creating the “Integrated Product Team” which the company said will “i
The Australian federal government has unveiled a new defense export strategy aimed at turning Australia into a major defense exporter. The document, unveiled by defense industry minister Christopher Pyne on Monday, sets out the policy and strategy to make Australia one of the top ten global defense
A New Zealand Defence Force aircraft and an Australian Navy frigate joined forces in the Western Indian Ocean to interdict 915 kilos of heroin worth AUD$274 million. A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 aircraft detected a suspicious vessel on January 23 prompting a boarding and investigation by the
The Australian defense ministry has awarded Lockheed Martin a AU$700 million contract to design, build and integrate a combat system for the Royal Australian Navy’s future submarines. Announcing the contract on January 25, Australian defense industry minister Christopher Pyne said the contract with
The Royal Australian Navy has teamed with the Australian Army and industry to set up a new training system for a joint helicopter school. Rotary wing crews are now set to benefit from the newly-established Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) at a dedicated facility at HMAS Albatross. The first
Royal Navy frigate HMS Sutherland and her crew started a somewhat out-of-the-ordinary deployment on January 9, getting underway from their homeport at HM Naval Base Devonport. What is special about the Type 23 frigate’s deployment is that Sutherland will be the first Royal Navy vessel to operate in
The Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac-class frigate HMAS Warramunga aced her third Arabian Sea drug interception in two weeks on January 7, bringing the total value of drugs seized to an estimated value of AU$629 million. The latest operation saw the frigate’s crew seize 111 kilograms of heroin valued a
The crew of Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga seized 3.5 tons of narcotics on January 3, days after making a record 8-ton hashish interception on December 27-29. During the latest operation, HMAS Warramunga seized illicit narcotics during a night-time operation in the Arabian Sea with he
The joint venture team composed of UK defense contractor Babcock and Australia’s UGL has been awarded a new five year agreement for the maintenance of Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac-class frigates. Under a contract worth around £115 million (AU$200 million), the Naval Ship Management (NSM) joint vent
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga seized almost eight tons of hashish and 69 kilograms of heroin from three separate vessels in the Arabian Sea over a course of two days. The crew of Warramunga seized the drugs in an operation spanning between December 27 and 29, 2017. According to the A
The Royal Australian Navy has shared a new image of HMAS AE1, its first submarine which was located this week off Papua New Guinea after a 103-year search. The navy said the new image is providing researchers with “valuable new clues about the final moments of the boat and her 35 crew.” Compiled by
Royal Australian Navy’s first commissioned submarine, the HMAS AE1, has been located 103 years after going under during World War I. The fate of 800 ton AE1 and her 35 crew members has remained one of the persistent mysteries of Australia’s military history. It was the first loss for the Royal Austr
US defense contractor Raytheon announced it has completed design, development and testing of its Cooperative Engagement Capability system which will provide the Australian Navy’s new Hobart-class destroyers with enhanced air warfare capabilities. The systems are yet to be certified by the US Navy, h
