Eighteen defense ministers from nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region sat together after their meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei on August 29, each in turn signing a joint declaration that reaffirms their commitment to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and to working together peac
The Los Angeles class fast attack submarine USS Chicago (SSN 721) arrived at HMAS Stirling for a visit as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific Aug. 21. With a crew of approximately 135 Sailors, Chicago has been conducting a multitude of missions to showcase the latest capabilities of the su
Sailors and Marines of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in Darwin Aug. 28 to participate in Exercise Koolendong 2013 (KD 13), a bilateral exercise taking place at the Bradshaw Field Training Area (BFTA) in Australia’s Norther
A Royal Navy Officer recently ‘hitched a ride’ across the Red Sea onboard HMAS Newcastle, while trying to make his way home to England. The unsuspecting Brit got a real surprise when he was greeted on the flight deck of the Australian ship by a long term friend and former RN colleague who had latera
The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) departed Darwin, Australia Aug. 31. Bonhomme Richard is in Darwin as part of Exercise Koolendong 2013 (KD 13), a bilateral exercise taking place at the Bradshaw Field Training
U.S. Army, Navy and Marine forces in conjunction with Japan Self-Defense Forces and local Japanese agencies participated in the Shizuoka Prefectural Government (SPG) annual disaster drill Sept. 1. During the drill, U.S. Armed Forces joined first responders from SPG, Japan Self-Defense Forces, Fuji a
The U.S. Navy and Australian Defense Force (ADF) successfully recovered and disposed of the live ordnance emergency-jettisoned by two AV-8B Harrier aircraft on July 16 off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The two inert and two unarmed live rounds were located by Royal Australian Navy minehunter H
For the first time in the history of the Royal Australian Navy’s Recruit School, a recruit division named after a sailor, rather than an officer, graduated today. Eighty recruits were welcomed into the Navy from Shipp Division, named after the late Leading Seaman Noel Ervin Shipp, during a Graduatio
HMAS Newcastle’s third Replenishment at Sea (RAS) activity in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) was conducted with the French Command and Replenishment Ship FS Somme. The RAS, which was performed in early July, was the Australian ship’s sixth with a coalition replenishment vessel since comme
More than 30 Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 participated in a friendship exchange at Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa’s White Beach Naval Facility, Aug. 24. NMCB 3 volunteers joined roughly 60 other participants from the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), the
In July, HMAS Newcastle completed an intensive counter-terrorism focused operation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with the multi-national Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150). During the focused operation, Newcastle executed 58 boarding actions, three replenishment activities with foreign ships an
The Royal Australian Navy is making great headway in its bid to achieve White Ribbon accreditation, with one in every five Navy members having completed the important White Ribbon survey. White Ribbon Australia seeks to change the attitudes and behaviours that lead to and perpetuate men’s violence a
Royal Navy warship HMS Argyll has just completed an intense period of counter-narcotics operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean before making her way back home to the UK. The Plymouth-based Type-23 frigate worked alongside her US, Canadian and Colombian allies to help deter potential drug trafficker
Royal Australian Navy warship HMAS Melbourne set sail for a six-month operational deployment to the Middle East Area of Operations. Family and friends of the 234 strong ship’s company gathered at Garden Island, Sydney, to farewell the Adelaide Class Frigate as she departed for Operation SLIPPER duti
