Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced the launch of the second Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) at the Navantia shipyard in Spain. The launch represented a major milestone in the shipbuilding process and was attended by the Chief of Navy, Vice
HMNZS TE KAHA and HMNZS ENDEAVOUR sailed from Devonport Naval base at the beginning of June bound for Hawaii and Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC 2012), being conducted from 29 June to 3 August. Other units from the NZ Defence Force are also taking part in the exercise—the Operational Diving Team
Work on building the Navy’s two newest boats—TAKAPU and TARAPUNGA—is advancing steadily at Opua in the Bay of Islands, at the hands of a team led by boatbuilder Perrin Clarke of Northland Spars and Rigging, under the eye of designer Alan Walker of Coastdesign Naval Architecture. Each 9.2 metres long
To strengthen its defence business development activities and capabilities Austal has appointed former Deputy Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas, AO, CSC, RANR to the executive position of Vice President – Defence. Austal Chief Executive Officer Andrew Bellamy said the ski
Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced on June 30 that the Navy’s newest ship, Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield, had arrived in Australia. Ocean Shield arrived at HMAS Stirling late on 28 June. In March the Government announced it had p
Sailors from guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71) took part in a four-day training exercise with the royal navy destroyer HMS Daring (D32) that concluded June 7. The first event between the ships was a weapons exercise. Cape St. George delivered a firepower demonstration firing on seve
The New Zealand Navy’s replenishment tanker HMNZS ENDEAVOUR has just finished providing approximately 70,000 litres of diesel fuel to the Cook Islands in response to the South Pacific country’s request for assistance. Commander Keith Robb, ENDEAVOUR’s Commanding Officer, said the fuel supplies will
One of the Navy’s amphibious ships HMAS Choules has suffered a defect which has caused her to return to Sydney. HMAS Choules departed Sydney on 13 June 2012 for Queensland where it was scheduled to support Exercise Hamel in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. On 14 June 2012 a defect occurred on one o
The Ohio-class guided missile submarine USS Michigan (SSGN 727) arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka, June 13, for a visit as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific. “The crew of Michigan and I are very proud of our deployment so far and are a ready force for any mission given to us by our [&
Hydroid, Inc., a subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime and the leading manufacturer of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), announced that the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) has purchased one REMUS 600 system for mine countermeasure operations. The new purchase brings the Japanese MOD AUV fleet to
UGL Limited announced that Naval Ship Management (Australia) Pty Ltd (NSM), an incorporated 50:50 joint venture between UGL Infrastructure Pty Ltd and Babcock Pty Ltd (Babcock), has finalised contract negotiations for the ANZAC Ship Group Maintenance Contract (GMC) with the Defence Materiel Organisa
Mast modules for the 27,000 tonne Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), fabricated and constructed at BAE Systems Henderson, facility are now completed and ready to be transported to Melbourne. The three mast modules weighing between 19 and 36 tonnes will form part of the superstructure of the LHDs and wil
Daisuke Hayashi never thought he would get the chance to visit Australia without actually leaving the territorial waters of Japan. But, today that’s exactly what he did. The Lieutenant – Junior Grade, who normally works in the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force Destroyer Shimakaze, is spending a f
HMAS Ballarat has set sail for the Pacific Ocean to take part in an anti-submarine warfare exercise with the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force, after a busy and culturally enriching port visit to the city of Kure, near Hiroshima. The Anzac Class Frigate has spent the last four days in Kure, hoste
