On Sunday, the crew of HMA Ships’ Paluma and Mermaid celebrated Easter Sunday at anchor off Jar Island, Vansittart Bay, Western Australia. It has been nearly 195 years since CMDR Phillip Parker King, RN, and His Britannic Majesty’s Cutter Mermaid first surveyed and documented Vansittart Bay and its
The Royal Navy has taken over command of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Combined Task Force 150 from the Royal Australian Navy at a formal change of command ceremony in Bahrain. Commodore Jeremy Blunden RN assumed command of CTF 150 from Commodore Daryl Bates RAN bringing to an end the RAN’s fifth
As the sun sets on Exercise SEA DAWN this month, the ship’s company of HMAS Choules reflected on the important milestones they helped the Australian Defence Force (ADF) achieve in training for amphibious operations. From 24 March, around 450 people from all three Services conducted helicopter, boa
James Fisher Defence (JFD), the leading global sub-sea operations and engineering company, has been awarded a special commendation from the Submarine Force Commander of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), as a result of their dedication and innovation demonstrated during Black Carillon 2013, a naval ex
The 25-member Royal Australian Navy counter terrorism taskforce, Combined Taskforce 150 (CTF150), returned to Australia today after a successful five month Middle East deployment, which resulted in the interdiction of significant amounts of drugs headed to fund violent and extremist organisations.
While patrolling in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Darwin provided emergency medical assistance for a heart attack victim on a French fishing vessel. The French Fishing Vessel (FV) Cape Saint Vincent called for assistance late on the night of the 10th of
The town of Albany in Western Australia played host to a unique international visitor on 9 April when the People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) vessel Qiandaohu visited. The Fuchi class replenishment ship had spent more than a month at sea with a Chinese fleet as part of the international search
NUSHIP Canberra’s Ship’s Company walked hundreds of kilometres over the past month, familiarising themselves with the Navy’s newest platform. Twelve decks high and 230 metres in length, the ship’s company have had a taste of how big the learning curve is and how fit they need to be to navigate aro
A highlight of the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been the level of international co-operation which has brought together the navies of Australia, China, United Kingdom and Malaysia in a common cause. The co-operation between navies presented an opportunity for People’s Libe
The US Navy’s 7th Fleet supply ship USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14) joined an international task force led by Australian Defence Force searching for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 off the Western Coast of Australia yesterday. The U.S. 7th Fleet deployed Chavez in response to a formal Joint Op
The fourth and final review into Australian Collins Class submarine sustainment program, released today by expert John Coles, confirms that submarine maintenance and availability has significantly improved. The review findings have been welcomed by Australian Minister for Defence David Johnston an
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has brought the navies of Australia and China together in a significant display of international cooperation. Despite heavy seas and poor search conditions, HMAS Toowoomba recently conducted boat operations with People’s Liberation Army – Navy
Ardent One, embarked in HMAS Launceston, participated in the Multilateral Naval Exercise KOMODO from 29 March to 3 April 2014. The exercise was developed and coordinated by the Indonesian Navy in the vicinity of the Indonesian Islands of Batam, Riau, Anambas and Natuna. It focussed on Humanitarian
The Australian Government will recommend to the Governor-General a number of senior Australian Defence Force appointments. Air Marshal Mark Binskin AC will become Chief of the Defence Force when General David Hurley AC, DSC completes his tenure on 3 July 2014. Air Marshal Binskin has demonstrated
