Australian sailors, soldiers, airmen and women have joined defence forces from 21 other nations, including France, Canada and Russia, for Exercise RIM-OF-THE-PACIFIC (RIMPAC 12) in the islands of Hawaii. Approximately 1100 Australian Defence personnel are among 25,000 personnel participating in the
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
On June 25, Force Commander Rear Admiral Dupuis visited the headquarters of the Tanzanian Navy to meet General Omar, Commander of the Navy. Tanzania faces the scourge of piracy off its coasts and is therefore intrinsically concerned. Its navy works daily in Tanzanian territorial waters to combat pir
Spain and Australia have agreed today that the Combat Supply Ship Cantabria will operate with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from February to November 2013. This deployment will be the longest and most extensive that the Navy ship will have made to date. Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral General
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
Military leaders from 22 nations formally launched Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2012, July 2. RIMPAC is hosted biennially by U.S. Pacific Fleet in and around Hawaii. U.S. and international speakers at the opening press conference included Adm. Cecil D. Haney, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fl
Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo. has been awarded a $145,090,000 firm-fixed-price contract on June 29. The contract includes procurement of 34 harpoon missile bodies in addition to two encapsulated harpoon certification training vehicles, the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md being the contrac
Australia’s national submarine builder and maintainer of the six Collins Class submarines – ASC Pty Ltd has signed a new contract with the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) for the maintenance of the Collins Class submarines going forward. The new In Service Support Contract (ISSC) was announced y
Sri Lanka Navy intercepted a multiday fishing trawler bound for Australia in the seas off Negambo on 29th June 2012. The trawler had 09 Sri Lankan nationals onboard who had intended to enter Australia illegally. Initial investigations carried out by the Navy revealed that more persons were to be tak
On the morning of June 28th 2012, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Italian Frigate Scirocco provided technical assistance to a tug type vessel which experienced an engine failure while sailing in international waters in the Gulf of Aden. In the evening on the 27th of June, ITS Scirocco was conducting a pa
After a two day hunt in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea, NATO’s flagship HNLMS Evertsen boarded a pirated dhow on June 29 and released seven hijacked Indian and Bangladeshi crew members. The Omani flagged dhow Nebarkad had been hijacked on 20th June off the coast of Oman, and was used by the pirate
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
The Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith, announced that the Royal Australian Navy would participate in a unique deployment to Australia of the Spanish Armada Ship, SPS Cantabria, with a series of training exercises in Australia from mid-February until November 2013. The Cantabria deployment will str
