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
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. “
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
As an alumnus of the Australian Defence College, it was with great pride that the Executive Officer of USS Preble, Commander (CDR) Jeff Heames, welcomed 45 students and staff members of the Australian Defence College onboard the American guided-missile destroyer for a tour, while the ship was alongs
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
More than 3,000 U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) docked at Garden Island, Sydney today for a four day port visit. While in town the ship will be hosted by the crew of NUSHIP Canberra. During their visit, the sailors and the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) wi
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 Royal Australian Navy has successfully conducted the world’s first firing of a “war shot” MU90 Lightweight Torpedo, Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs AO CSC RAN announced today. ANZAC Class Frigate HMAS Stuart fired the explosive warhead against a specially designed target in the East Austr
“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 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
Sailors from Submarine Group 7 and organizations around the world participated in a Search for Simulated Submarine Casualty Exercise (SMASHEX) at Fleet Activities Yokosuka Aug. 7-8. SMASHEX is a table top exercise to test procedures and practices required in the very unlikely event of a submarine se
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
They have already passed a rigorous evaluation and proved themselves in an international exercise but the training never ends for the ship’s company of the Anzac Class frigate HMAS Perth. While in the Coral Sea fighting off the forces of a fictitious enemy, 182 personnel aboard Perth were simultaneo
