Submariner, Commander Tony “Gecko” Ellis, has found new friends in far away places, during a visit to the Indian Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Tamil Nadu, India. Commander Ellis is a student at the Australian Command and Staff College (ACSC) in Canberra. He, and a small delegation
HMAS Newcastle’s Clearance Divers (CDs) have been keeping their core skills finely tuned by conducting regular training at sea in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO). Having already demonstrated their underwater rigging expertise to remove an obstruction from Newcastle’s propeller shaft, the f
HMAS Newcastle has conducted two Replenishment At Sea (RAS) operations in two weeks with one of the world’s biggest combat supply vessels in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO). Newcastle received fuel on both occasions from the United States Naval Ship USNS Rainier allowing the Australian war
Able Seaman Electronics Technician Peteris Kains had never dreamt that he would one day deploy to the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) as part of the international campaign against terrorism, let alone in a ship named after his home state’s capital city. That’s exactly what AB Kains will do thi
After receiving the report on the tragic incident last night between the two commercial vessels MV St Thomas De Aquinas of 2GO and MV Sulpicio Express 7, the Naval Forces Central, Philippine Navy immediately dispatched its personnel and floating assets to help in the intensive search and rescue with
NAVFORSOL directed DF338 to depart Legazpi City pier and proceed to Pandan, Catanduanes on August 13th 2013 to support the ongoing Search and Rescue operations for reported missing fishermen in the waters off Catanduanes after TS LABUYO hit Bicol over the weekend. More than 70 fisher folks were repo
The guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) successfully completed the visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) portion of its maritime interdiction operation (MIO) training requirement, Aug. 13. The Philippine Sea worked in conjunction with the training support boat Mobile Sea Range (MSR)
The Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Newcastle has completed a week-long maritime security patrol in the Arabian Gulf. Assigned to the multi-national Combined Task Force 152 (CTF 152), Newcastle patrolled the gulf looking for signs of terrorist activity and destabilising activity. Newcastle’s Boardin
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
The Australian warship HMAS Newcastle has transited through the Strait of Hormuz near the end of her second month-long maritime security patrol since arriving in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) in May. The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf of Oman to the Persian Gulf, is the busies
The frigate HMNZS TE MANA departed Devonport Naval Base on 12 August en route via Australia to counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. The ship will join a multi-national maritime security task force in November, specifically focusing on counter-piracy operations. The ship’s presence will act
“Distance two cables, bearing seven degrees,” reported HMAS Ballarat’s Navigating Office, Lieutenant Tom Geraghty to his Commanding Officer, Commander Matthew Doornbos. “140 feet displaced sir,” he said, as Ballarat made her final approach on HMAS Sirius to conduct a replenishment at sea operation (
The Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Newcastle has recently completed two successful weeks of counter terrorism operations in the Red Sea with the multi-national Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150). CTF 150 is a coalition force with a principal mission to deter, disrupt and defeat attempts by internati
The upgraded Anzac Class frigate HMAS Perth ended Exercise Talisman Saber 2013 with a bang—lots of bangs actually—as she participated in a joint live fire exercise at Townsend Island, off Queensland. Perth fired around 100 rounds from its 5-inch gun, in an exercise that coordinated live fire from Au
