Senior leaders from U.S. 7th Fleet visited Colombo, Sri Lanka and Male, Maldives and attended the Galle Dialogues international Maritime Conference Dec. 1-6, building relationships to improve maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific. While in Sri Lanka, 7th Fleet leaders met with officials from th
This week the crew of a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) P-3 Orion from the Royal New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) completed their support to NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD (OOS) Task Force 508 (CTF-508). Between 13 and 30 November, the NATO partner nation’s detachment of more than 50 cr
One of Australian Navy’s most comprehensive implementation programs aimed at improving ships’ seaworthiness and fleet sustainability and preparedness has been completed. The Rizzo Reform Program, a joint Navy and Defence Materiel Organisation initiative, was established in response to the Plan to Re
On November 26th, 2014, NATO and Japanese maritime forces continued to strengthen relations and enhance interoperability by conducting a combined exercise in the Gulf of Aden. It was a follow-on to the first-ever exercise between the two counter-piracy forces that took place two months ago. Like the
Australian Defence Force vessels and aircraft have completed monitoring a Russian Surface Task Group that was operating in the Coral Sea to Australia’s north. The Russian ships did not enter Australian territorial waters and have now departed the Coral Sea. The flotilla included Russian Federation S
HMAS Toowoomba has intercepted a vessel carrying approximately 388 kilograms of heroin in international waters off the east coast of Africa. The drug seizure on 17 November 2014 was part of a determined multi-national campaign to disrupt drug smuggling in the Indian Ocean, profits from which provide
Seven Royal Australian Navy members left Australia this week to embed with the Combined Maritime Force’s Canadian led Combined Task Force 150 (CTF150) in the Middle East. From December 2014 to April 2015, the Navy team will work in CTF150 to deter, disrupt and defeat international terrorist organisa
The communications and information systems department started work onboard Australian Navy’s biggest ship NUSHIP Canberra in August during sea trials and have spent a considerable amount of time since then ensuring that the ship’s communications systems are ready when the crew embarks. The ship’s Co
After a long period out of the water and alongside conducting her Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade, HMAS Anzac has sailed from Fleet Base West and made a big splash, firing two MU90 Practice Delivery Torpedos (PDTs) in pursuit of her Sea Qualifications Trials. The last week of October was a
Austal Limited announces the third-in-series Cape Class Patrol Boat has been officially named Cape Nelson during a ceremony today at the Company’s Australian Defence Facility in Henderson, Western Australia. Cape Nelson is the third of eight boats being provided by Austal for the Australian Customs
At anchor two kilometres off the coast of Bougainville sits HMAS Choules, the Royal Australian Navy’s Landing Ship Dock, a 180 metre long, 16,000 tonne vessel, currently providing significant life support to almost 450 Australian and international defence force personnel deployed on Operation RENDER
An Australian Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team has already made safe more than 6000 kilograms of World War II munitions during the first week of Operation RENDER SAFE 14 in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. An international team of 60 EOD experts, led by members of the Bougainville Police S
As the last of the Royal Australian Navy fleet of Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) vessels prepare to be decommissioned this November in Cairns, Leading Seaman Gordon Spooner shares his first-hand knowledge of the important amphibious capability that the vessels have provided to the Navy. Currently posted
USS Milius to Deploy to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans The guided missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) is scheduled to depart Oct. 20 on an independent deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. Sweden Still Investigating Missing Submarine The Swedish Naval Forces have spent the we
