The Australian government is starting a major overhaul of the Royal Australian Navy’s IT equipment. The navy’s computer networks are to be upgraded through an AUD 6000 million project which will modernize the Fleet Information Environment (FIE). “The FIE consists of both classified and unclassified
Assets from the US Navy and Royal Thai Navy (RTN) kicked off the 8th edition of exercise Guardian Sea in the Andaman Sea on April 7. A US Navy Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine and underway replenishment oiler along with two Thai frigates, a corvette and a Sea Hawk helicopter will take part in
The Royal Australian Air Force-organized exercise Diamond Shield provided an opportunity for the Australian Navy’s second air warfare destroyer HMAS Brisbane to integrate and operate with the fifth-generation F-35A fighter jet for the first time. Brisbane embarked three Fighter Controllers from the
The US Navy’s forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) arrived in Subic Bay, on March 30, ahead of exercise Balikatan. Wasp arrived in the Philippines with embarked Marines from Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF) 4, which are led by 4th Marine Regiment. This will
The Royal New Zealand Navy’s new diving and hydrographic support vessel has started her journey from Norway to Auckland, New Zealand. Formerly known as offshore support vessel MV Edda Fonn, the vessel was sold by Norway’s Østensjø Rederi to the New Zealand Navy in August 2018. The vessel was modifie
Royal Australian Navy’s Adelaide-class frigate HMAS Melbourne got underway from her Sydney homeport to start a two-month deployment to the Pacific and South East Asia. “It’s sad to think about those at home when we sail from Sydney on deployment, but I’m excited about what the ship and crew will ach
The Royal Australian Navy’s third Hobart-class air warfare destroyer Sydney is set to enter operations a year earlier than originally planned following an accelerated capability upgrade. As explained, the defense ministry was able to streamline a technical upgrade to the ship during its build at the
US Navy ships from the Japan-based US 7th Fleet took part in what the navy termed the most advanced tactical training necessary for blue water combat. For the first time ever, three guided missile destroyers, a guided missile cruiser, and two amphibious ships of the Forward-Deployed Naval Forces com
Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Mana has arrived in Canada to start her combat management system upgrades. The ship pulled into Canadian forces base Esquimalt on March 12 and will be modernized at Seaspan’s shipyard in Victoria, British Columbia. Te Mana is starting the upgrade after complet
Thales UK announced it has recently completed the first of six new replacement bow sonar arrays for the upgrade of the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class submarines. The company says that the bow sonar array was delivered in time to meet the Royal Australian Navy’s accelerated upgrade of HMAS Wal
Assets from the navies of Japan, the UK and US are scheduled top take part in their second trilateral exercise later this week. The inaugural Asia Pacific exercise took place in December 2018. The drill will take place in the Western Pacific and is scheduled for kick off on March 14. Japan will be r
The search for the Royal Australian Navy’s sunken World War II destroyer HMAS Vampire is underway off the coast of Sri Lanka, with the navies of both countries contributing hydrographic assets to the cause. Nine sailors died when the destroyer HMAS Vampire sank after enduring an intensive Japanese a
The Royal Australian Navy has contracted the Australian branch of Phoenix International for the delivery of a new air transportable submarine rescue service capability. As announced by the Australian defense minister Christopher Pyne, the service will be based in Western Australia and support both t
The annual disaster response preparedness exercise Pacific Partnership began March 4 as US Military Sealift Command (MSC) expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Brunswick (T-EPF 6) got underway from Naval Base Guam to start the mission in Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership is the largest annual, mult
