The workforce in the Hunter for the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Project has now hit almost 700 across Forgacs’ two Newcastle facilities in Tomago and Carrington. Three AWDs are being built for the Australian Navy. Construction of the AWDs involves the fabrication of 90 separate steel blocks, 30 for
Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced the departure of the hull of the first of the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) new amphibious ships from Ferrol in northern Spain. Mr Clare said the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) 01 hull will be transported to Melbourne, Australia, by the Heav
HMAS Perth has completed an advanced air warfare weapons event during a multinational firing serial at Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012, the world’s largest maritime exercise in Hawaii. HMAS Perth joined HMAS Darwin in a six-ship formation with Canadian and US ships that conducted a coordin
Australian Navy Clearance Divers are playing a key role at RIMPAC 2012, both in Hawaii and on the US mainland. Their focus is on mine countermeasures – the largest collection of Mine Counter Measures (MCM) capacity ever deployed by Australia on this exercise. Commander Doug Griffiths is in charge of
HMAS Perth has completed an advanced air warfare weapons event during a multinational firing serial at Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012, the world’s largest maritime exercise in Hawaii. HMAS Perth joined HMAS Darwin in a six-ship formation with Canadian and US ships that conducted a coordin
HMAS Darwin has successfully exercised complex ship and air launched torpedo delivery during the multinational maritime exercise RIMPAC 2012. Firing one MK46 torpedo from Darwin and two Mk46 torpedos from embarked S-70B-2 Seahawk “Valkyrie”, Darwin demonstrated a combined ability to detect and count
As part of Exercise RIM-OF-THE-PACIFIC (RIMPAC 2012), a group of officers from United States Ships Chafee and Crommelin spent the day on HMAS Perth observing and experiencing life onboard an Australian ship. The visitors were given a tour of the ship, including a walk through of the engine room and
There has been some sensationalist reporting relating to a minor flood in HMAS Farncomb on 25 July 2012. The following media release is the actual statement made by the Department of Defence on 25 July 2012. On Wednesday 25 July (Australian Eastern Standard Time), while participating in Exercise RIM
The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Collins Class submarine HMAS Farncomb has successfully sunk a target ship, the 12,106-tonne former USNS (United States Navy Ship) Kilauea in Hawaii. Farncomb fired one Mark 48 Torpedo and achieved a hit just below the bridge of the ship as part of a sinking exercise
The “Fighting Tigers” of Patrol Squadron (VP)8 took part in a coordinated operations mining exercise (MINEX) with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), July 19. The exercise took place in northern Japan’s Mutsu Bay and consisted of VP-8 and JMDSF P-3C Orion aircraft operating with the Av
HMAS Darwin departed Pearl Harbor on 10 July, signalling the start of high end war fighting maritime serials as part of Exercise RIMPAC 2012. Belonging to the Carrier Strike Group, Darwin will work in company with aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, as well as RSS Formidable from Singapore, HMCS Ottawa fro
The guided-missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90) took on 250,000 gallons of alternative fuel, a 50/50 blend of advanced biofuel and traditional petroleum-based fuel, from the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187) as part of the Great Green Fleet demonstration during Rim of the Pa
The Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus awarded medals to two Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) leaders, July 16, during a ceremony aboard the U.S. 7th Fleet flagship, USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19). Mabus awarded JMSDF Vice Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, commander in chief of the Self Defense Fle
Insitu Pacific, the Australia-based subsidiary of Insitu Inc., announced on July 9 that it was awarded a contract to provide its ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The delivery of these systems will be accompanied by training, logistics and ship install