HMAS Newcastle has combined with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) warship Mianyang to search for survivors of a damaged fishing trawler in Middle Eastern waters. Newcastle and Mianyang worked together to conduct a search and rescue operation in the Indian Ocean, 350 nautical miles
The Royal Australian Navy is leading the world in bringing the new MRH90 ‘Taipan’ Multi-Role Helicopter into service at sea. The Navy’s soon-to-be-commissioned 808 Squadron has been conducting trials, testing, evaluation and training on the MRH90 Taipan helicopter since 2010. When 808 Squadron’s com
Shipbuilding is an arduous business, especially when it comes to constructing naval state-of-the-art vessels, such as the future Royal Australian Navy’s destroyer, Hobart, which is taking shape at Adelaide, Australia. The construction process marked a giant milestone on July 2 when Hobart’s final ke
The U.S 7th Fleet flagship and staff completed an event-filled six day port visit in Darwin, Australia, with a ceremonial celebration on board flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) July 4. The celebration was two-fold, celebrating Australia’s Territory Day on July 1, as well as America’s Independence Day
A port visit to the Seychelles provided a much-needed opportunity for the crew of HMAS Newcastle to re-energise ahead of her next high-tempo counter-terrorism patrol on Operation SLIPPER. Soon after coming alongside Port Victoria, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Guided Missile Frigate (FFG) took on
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress on July 1, 2013 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia of up to 100 MK 54 All-Up-Round Torpedoes and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $ 83 million. The Government of Australi
The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) transited the Coral Sea, the site of one of World War II’s most famous naval battles, July 4. The Battle of the Coral Sea was fought between Japan and Allied forces from the United States and Australia, May 4-8, 1942. It is no
On 3 July 2013, whilst conducting counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, the Force Commander of the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR), Commodore Jorge Novo Palma, met with the Commander of the NATO counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield, Commodore Henning Amundsen. HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen, fl
Dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42), with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), arrived in Darwin, Australia, July 4, prior to scheduled operations in the region. While in port, Germantown and the 31st MEU will conduct a bio-security inspection to ensure they are operating in an e
Ultra Electronics announces that its Command & Control Systems business, based in High Wycombe, has been awarded a contract worth £32m by the Republic of Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence for the mid-life modernisation of the first of the Fatahillah Class corvettes. The contract includes the developme
Defence and security company Saab has signed a contract with Watpac Construction Pty Ltd for the installation and commissioning of electronic security systems for the Australian Department of Defence. The contract amounts to MSEK 470 and deliveries will take place 2013-2014. Watpac has been contract
Pacific Partnership 2013 arrived at its third mission port, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, July 3. U.S., partner nation military members and non-governmental organization volunteers are scheduled to take part in a variety of projects while ashore in the Marshall Islands such as the installati
Minister for Defence Materiel Dr Mike Kelly AM MP today announced the first of 24 MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopters has successfully completed its first test flight. The initial test flight occurred at Sikorsky’s Production Facility, Connecticut USA on 26 June 2013. It passed a range of tests includi
Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel are playing a vital role as key contributors to Pacific Partnership, a United States-sponsored humanitarian and civic assistance mission to help improve the lives of people in the Pacific Region. This year, Pacific Partnership will deliver medical, dental, ve
