2013 was one of the busiest years on recent record for the Royal Australian Navy Fleet. During a period of substantial border protection activity, and against a backdrop of international piracy and narcotics trading interdiction in the Middle East and Indian Ocean, the Navy continued to meet its mis
HMAS Success returned to sea on 25 October and has commenced Sea Qualification Trials and a Unit Readiness workup package. The significant milestone marked the end of a complex refit package, which included an extensive docking, considerable engineering plant overhaul and structural work. Commander
USS Denver (LPD 9) held a change of command ceremony aboard the ship Oct. 24 while in its homeport of Sasebo. Capt. Michael Donnelly relieved Capt. Kevin P. Lenox as commanding officer, becoming the 31st commanding officer of Denver since the ship’s commissioning in 1968. “I am extremely humbled to
The U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, arrived in Busan, Republic of Korea (ROK) for a scheduled port visit, Oct. 4. George Washington departed its forward-operating location of Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, Sept. 13, following the
The exercise, which started on Monday in Jervis Bay, involves INS Sahyadri and People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Luhu-class destroyer Quindago. Aside to these two countries, ships from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia are also participating in the exercise scheduled to last until October
In August, UK based Solar Solve Marine received an order from their Australian Distributor to supply 49 SOLASOLV® roller screens for the vessel HMAS Canberra. The vessel is the first of two new Landing Helicopter Docks which are being built for the Royal Australian Navy. Construction of the vessel b
The Anzac frigate HMNZS TE MANA is well into her Work-Up, operating out of Sydney in the East Australian Exercise Area. The Work-Up so far has included many damage control and machinery breakdown evolutions and a successful towing exercise with the RAN Landing Ship Heavy HMAS TOBRUK. While not at se
Amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9), with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), arrived in Darwin, Australia, Aug. 22, following scheduled operations in the region. Denver’s visit to Darwin comes after a successful certification exercise (CERTEX) with the 31st MEU in the C
Dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) departed Cairns, Australia after a routine port visit Aug. 15 to 19. Roughly 30 Sailors and Marines volunteered at a local hospital during the visit, playing games with patients, sharing jokes, and generally uplifting the spirits of more than 100 patients. “
Sailors and Marines assigned to dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) pulled into Cairns, Australia for a routine port visit, Aug. 15. “I’m very excited to be in Cairns,” said Fireman Recruit Daniel W. Sistare. “The people [in Australia] are very welcoming.” The visit followed Germantown’s compl
Sailors assigned to the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) in partnership with Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), conducted a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) training evolution aboard USNS Wally Schirra (T-AKE 8) Aug. 13. “VBSS operations are another way in which
Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) began Certification Exercise (CERTEX), Aug. 7. CERTEX is an event focusing on the 31st MEU’s capability of doing missions such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations or non-combatant
The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), along with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) completed their Certification Exercise (CERTEX) on Aug. 7. CERTEX is a comprehensive set of training exercises that combines Navy and Marine Corps amphibious capabilities. “The single most essential objective
Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet completed biennial joint-training exercise Talisman Saber 2013 (TS13) July 28. The two-week exercise is the second largest maritime exercise in the world jointly led by U.S. Pacific Command and the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Military assets from both nations conducted
