After two years in a command that encompassed four Anzac class frigates, Commander Matthew Doornbos handed over command of HMAS Anzac to Commander Belinda Wood at a ceremony held alongside Sydney’s Fleet Base East last week. Commander Doornbos took command of HMAS Ballarat in November 2012, and has
HMAS Toowoomba completed a successful Operation MANITOU maritime security deployment to the Middle East Region on Saturday, 13 December 2014, and is heading home to Perth. Deployed as part of Australia’s Joint Task Force 633, Toowoomba conducted security patrols as part of the international communit
Commander of Australia’s Joint Task Force 633 (JTF633) in the Middle East Region (MER) Major General Craig Orme, AM, CSC has officially transferred command to Rear Admiral Trevor Jones, AO, CSC, RAN. The Transfer of Authority ceremony was held this week at Camp Baird, Australia’s main headquarters i
Thales Australia has delivered a significant upgrade to the Collins submarine Platform Training Simulator (PTS), which now has the highest levels of reliability and availability since entering service in 1993. Thales completed the complex upgrade of the dual simulator on time and with an accelerated
On 6 December, HMAS Tobruk sailed through Sydney Heads after five months away, and was welcomed alongside her home port, Garden Island by family and friends. Commanding Officer, Commander Leif Maxfield said since sailing in mid June, the ship has maintained a high tempo: We spent a significant perio
After a challenging year bringing HMAS Arunta out of the Anti-Ship Missile Defence Upgrade and a deployment around Australia including participating as lead ship in the Albany Convoy Commemorative Event, Arunta’s Commanding Officer, Commander David Tietzel handed over command of the ship to Commande
The Australian Government has taken the next major step to put the $8.5 billion Air Warfare Destroyer program back on track to deliver critical capability for the Royal Australian Navy. Following a competitive procurement process, BAE Systems, Navantia SA and Raytheon Australia will take on increase
Papua New Guinea held a commissioning ceremony for its new Landing Craft Heavy HMPNGS Lakekamu yesterday in Port Moresby. HMPNGS Lakekamu was formerly the Royal Australia Navy Landing Craft Heavy HMAS Labuan, which was decommissioned from Australian service at a ceremony in Cairns last month. Defenc
Coastal Mine Hunter HMAS Huon and Armidale Class Patrol Boat HMAS Launceston conducted a rendezvous in Australia’s northern waters recently to allow their bridge teams and junior watchkeeping officers to conduct a series of training manoeuvres. Both ships have been operating in support of Operation
New Zealand has decided to equip two of its MEKO-class frigates (jointly procured with Australia) with Rheinmetall’s Multi Ammunition Softkill System, or MASS. The contract, issued by the New Zealand Ministry of Defence under an ANZAC modernization programme, is worth €4.2 million. In this project,
HMA Ships Sydney, Parramatta and Stuart sailed from Fleet Base East on 24 November with the next generation of warfare officers and sailors embarked. Having completed several months of classroom theory at the School of Maritime Warfare, and practical training in the warfare simulators at HMAS Watson
Australian Navy Commander Ashley Papp relinquished command of HMAS Choules, handing the weight of command to Commander Chris Aulmann on 15 November in Brisbane. HMAS Choules is a Landing Ship Dock which originally served with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary as RFA Largs Bay from 2006-2011. Choules is a la
As the Australian Navy’s newest ship’s company prepared for her commissioning ceremony, two Navy helicopters marked a different milestone by making the first deck landings on Australia’s largest warship. A MRH90 ‘Taipan’ from 808 Squadron and an S-70-B Seahawk from 816 Squadron flew to Fleet Base Ea
Australia’s first Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) Canberra III was welcomed into service in the Royal Australian Navy on November 28. The Australian White Ensign was raised for the first time, signaling that HMAS Canberra III was formally commissioned into the Fleet. Navy, Army and Air Force members o
