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Latest News for our Navy Network Download the AUGUST edition of our newsletter BROADSIDE |
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BROADSIDE - AUGUST 2024 Edition NOTE: To read Broadside in Flipbook form, click on the "Full Screen" arrows. |
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31 August Beloved ship STS Leeuwin seriously damaged, two people hurt after collision at Fremantle Port The iconic sailing ship Leeuwin has been hit by a container vessel at Fremantle Port, with two people injured and the vessel sustaining extensive damage. |
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23 August Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE) 2024 Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE) 2024 has completed its first stop in Sri Lanka and will involve activities with 13 more host countries across Southeast Asia and the Northeast Indian Ocean. This year’s IPE includes military exercises, training, and cultural activities with a focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and gender, peace and security. |
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23 August![]() The possibility of Donald Trump returning to the White House has resuscitated debate about the reliability of the US alliance, including the nuclear protection Washington extends to Australia and other allies. Whoever wins the presidential election in November, Australia needs to deepen its contribution to extended nuclear deterrence, as the US nuclear umbrella is formally known, to keep Washington engaged. As ASPI senior fellow Rod Lyon put it, assurance is a two-way street. One way to demonstrate that Canberra has real skin in the deterrence game is to host more US nuclear forces. More..... |
22 August![]() The much ballyhooed reforms of the ITAR arms export system for AUKUS are not likely to help development of advanced weapons for Pillar II, the cluster of capabilities such as hypersonics, autonomy, AI and other advanced weapons, according to a new report from the Australian-based US Studies Centre. The report, “AUKUS Enablers? Assessing defense export control reforms in Australia and the United States”, cautiously concludes that at the top-level, the “AUKUS-driven reforms may succeed where previous efforts failed, realizing a long-standing objective of creating a ‘defense free-trade zone’ between Australia and the United States.” More..... |
22 August![]() Australia must become more active in the western Indian Ocean, not least because the country’s fuel supplies depend on tanker traffic through the region. The Royal Australian Navy has operated in the western Indian Ocean consistently for more than a quarter of its history. Those operations have spanned a spectrum of tasks from counter-piracy, counter-narcotics and counterterrorism to support to both Gulf Wars in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf. More..... |
22 August![]() Australia will contribute $850 million in partnership with Kongsberg Defence Australia to manufacture and service missiles at Williamtown near Newcastle. The project involves the construction of a factory in the Newcastle Airport precinct that will manufacture and service naval strike missiles (NSM) and joint strike missiles (JSM) to be used by the ADF. It will be one of only two facilities in the world capable of producing the missiles. The other site is in Kongsberg, Norway. More..... |
22 August![]() Royal Australian Navy (RAN) clearance divers sharpened skills with divers and explosive ordnance teams from the Sri Lanka Navy as part of Indo-Pacific Endeavour. It was the latest opportunity for the two teams to work together, building on previous diver exchanges under Indo-Pacific Endeavour. Commanding Officer RAN Clearance Diving Team One Lieutenant Commander Michael Hutchesson said the team quickly developed a constructive relationship with the Sri Lanka Navy Command Diving and Salvage Unit. More..... |
21 August![]() A Chinese shipyard in Wuhan has launched a submarine which is likely to be the country's most advanced non-nuclear type. The new boat is larger than existing ones and is the first in the country to feature X-form rudders. There are indications that it may have a vertical launch system (VLS). China does not advertise its new submarine designs in the way virtually every other country does. Information in Chinese state media is extremely limited; nothing which forewarns of a specific new class of boat, or reveals the construction numbers. More..... |
21 August![]() The US Navy has completed the installation of the first MQ-25 Unmanned Air Warfare Center aboard the Nimitz Class supercarrier, USS George H.W. Bush. The CVN-based control room, known as the UAWC, includes software and hardware systems that make up the first fully operational and integrated Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System (UMCS) MD-5E Ground Control Station (GCS) where air vehicle pilots will control future MQ-25 Stingray airborne operations. More..... |
21 August![]() In the dim first light of day, a contingent of ADF personnel gathered for a dawn service on August 17 at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. As crows silently wheeled in circles above the solemn gathering, two headstones were marked with lit candles. These identified the final resting place of two young Australians who died in service during World War 2. More..... |
21 August![]() Erin Spencer, a homeless Marine Corps veteran, says he has “lost count” of the number of times in the last 10 years that he has been arrested or forced to move from the streets where he sleeps in the San Francisco Bay Area. And each time, he also lost something personal during the sweeps in one of America’s most progressive regions: the tools and materials he collected to make his artwork. More..... |
21 August![]() The university where future leaders of the Australian Defence Force are sent to study has moved to limit research collaboration with China, including ending visits from academics to its Canberra campus, amid growing military tensions with Beijing. Since the 1980s, the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has provided academic education to officer and midshipman cadets at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) in Canberra, and postgraduate programs for Defence civilians and other students. More..... |
21 August Australian Defence contingent onboard JS Noshiro ADF medical personnel and gender specialists joined the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) for training in JS Noshiro in the South West Pacific. They were joined on the ship by specialists from the US Navy, NZ Navy and US Coastguard. |
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20 August![]() With the first Ghost Shark currently in Australia, this milestone will expand the test envelope for Ghost Shark by enabling concurrent testing on both sides of the Pacific and be available for collaboration with U.S. government partners. Designed and built in Australia, this Ghost Shark arrived in the United States via trans-pacific flight by a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-17A, showcasing its rapid and agile expeditionary capabilities. More..... |
20 August![]() DVA regularly brings together a range of ex-service groups and members of the veteran community to tell them our plans, hear their ideas, and get their advice to improve the services we offer veterans and families. As part of this process, veterans, families, ex-service organisations (ESOs) and all Australians are encouraged to take part in the 2024 review of the National Consultation Framework. More..... |
20 August![]() Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity – Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE) – began with a law of the sea workshop involving the defence forces of Australia and Sri Lanka in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. The Australia Defence Force’s Indo-Pacific Centre for Military Law (IPCML) is a centre of excellence in military law in the region. IPCML deploys teams of legal officers to partner nations to provide legal training, capacity-building, information-sharing and other legal engagement activities. More..... |
19 August![]() Today we honour Vietnam veterans, by supporting the future of their children and grandchildren through the 2025 Long Tan Bursary. Applications are now open to eligible children and grandchildren of Vietnam veterans, who can apply for up to $12,000 over 3 years to assist with the cost of their education. Each year, 37 Long Tan Bursaries are awarded. They provide education support to recipients, helping them to acquire qualifications in their chosen careers. More..... |
19 August![]() Two Royal Australian Navy sailors attended the course at HMS Collingwood in England. Warrant Officer Jason Lockard and Chief Petty Officer Narelle Cochrane attended the eight-week training on how a maritime task group could plan for, and eliminate, the threat posed to maritime security and stability by sea mines. WO Lockard and CPO Cochrane learned planning considerations, including how to identify areas likely to be mined, best patterns of search to identify targets, and best available disposal methods. More..... |
19 August![]() For a passionate data buff, Army Data Hub is the place to be. After a successful 24-year career in the Navy, followed by seven years as a reservist, Chief Petty Officer Karen Lewis found her true calling in business and data analytics. Growing up in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Chief Petty Officer Lewis had no idea where her career would take her. Now back to her favourite part of Australia, living in Arundel on the Gold Coast, she enjoys the convenience of working remotely and doing the job she loves. More..... |
19 August![]() Philippine and Chinese Coast Guard vessels collided in the South China Sea near two disputed shoals on Monday morning in the latest encounter at sea between Manila and Beijing. According to Manila, two Philippine Coast Guard patrol boats, BRP Bagacay (MRRV-4410) and BRP Cape Engaño (MRRV-4411), were rammed by China Coast Guard vessels CCGV-3104 and CCGV-21551 around 20 nautical miles southeast of Escoda Shoal. Imagery released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed three-foot-wide hole punctured into Bagacay. More..... |
16 August![]() Royal Australian Navy Armidale Class patrol boat, HMAS Broome (II), has entered Darwin harbour for the last time ahead of its official decommissioning laster this month. HMAS Broome (II) also made a final pitstop in its namesake town of Broome in northern WA before it's official decommissioning in Darwin on August 29. The patrol boat, built by Austal Ships in Western Australia, was commissioned in February 2007 as a contributor to the nation's fisheries protection, immigration, customs and law enforcement operations alongside Australian Border Force. More..... |
16 August![]() The U.S. Navy submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) pulled into HMAS Stirling, Aug. 16, marking the seventh port visit in Australia since the ship left its homeport of Guam, May 17. The mixed crew of U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy personnel will take part in a Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period (STMP) over the next several weeks as Australian technicians perform maintenance on a U.S Navy nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine (SSN) scheduled to arrive for a port visit. More..... |
16 August![]() The Government is delivering on our commitment to honour the service and sacrifice of First World War veterans, with the opening of the second round of the Marking First World War Private Graves Grants Program. All over the country, dedicated community organisations work tirelessly to identify the graves of long lost WWI veterans. This program was developed to support these organisations in their important work, as they seek to acknowledge these veterans, many of whom lie in unmarked graves, as they so deserve. More..... |
16 August![]() At sea, some of the biggest threats are unseen. Anchored a few metres below the surface, sea mines are capable of sinking vessels and shutting down ports. To help counteract this threat, two Royal Australian Navy sailors recently participated in the Royal Navy’s advanced mine warfare course at HMS Collingwood in England. Warrant Officer Jason Lockard and Chief Petty Officer Narelle Cochrane attended the eight-week training on how a maritime task group could plan for, and eliminate, the threat posed to maritime security and stability by sea mines. More..... |
15 August![]() All children have dreams and wishes, and for many they remain just that, but for 11-year-old Saxon, his wish came true. Saxon has always had a passion for ships and aircraft, so Navy’s landing helicopter dock, HMAS Canberra, was called in to bring his wish to life. In 2021, Saxon was diagnosed with a brain cancer and began an 18-month journey of chemotherapy and radiation. His mum, Megan, said he has shown such resilience throughout and is now almost two years in remission. More..... |
15 August Drone-killer HMS Diamond tweaked tactics to down waves of Houthi attacks The captain of HMS Diamond said the ship made some tweaks to its tactics to repel numerous attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. The Type 45 destroyer had a busy deployment which included shooting down seven Houthi attack drones in just one day – a record for a British warship – and becoming the first Royal Navy vessel to fire Sea Viper missiles in anger. In an exclusive broadcast interview with BFBS Forces News, HMS Diamond's Commanding Officer, Commander Pete Evans, said: "We just followed our normal basic training." |
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15 August Unlike Any Other Job Ready to make a difference? Embark on a career where every day counts. The Australian Defence Force is more than just a job, discover your potential. |
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15 August![]() In his day job he's a research scientist with Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), but when Takuma Adams was offered the chance to translate for ADF personnel aboard the Japanese frigate JS Noshiro, he didn't hesitate. Growing up bilingual, the 26-year-old Defence scientist had been keen to use his Japanese language skills during his career and help further develop Australia’s growing ties with its main partner in Asia. More..... |
13 August End of an admirable tenure ![]() |
12 August![]() It is common for families to follow a tradition of military service. What isn’t common is having three members of the same family join the Navy on the same date, decades apart. For Leading Seaman Vicki Pearn, it led to questions about fate or coincidence – with July 29 becoming a mysterious recurring date in their family. “With my son, I didn’t think much of my own enlistment when he joined up,” Leading Seaman Pearn said. “But when my daughter told me she got this date, I could have done cartwheels. More..... |
12 August![]() The Navy’s ability to build lower-cost warships that can shoot down Houthi rebel missiles in the Red Sea depends in part on a 25-year-old laborer who previously made parts for garbage trucks. Lucas Andreini, a welder at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, in Marinette, Wisconsin, is among thousands of young workers who’ve received employer-sponsored training nationwide as shipyards struggle to hire and retain employees. More..... |
11 August OUR AUGUST HERO ![]() Jack Statton MESLEY was born in Brunswick, Victoria on 11 December 1910 before his family moved to Leongatha, Victoria in 1912. He entered the RAN College in 1924 as a 13-year-old Cadet Midshipman. In February 1928, he traveled to England for training in HM ships Tiger, Marlborough and Renown. Due to the Depression there were a number of cuts to the RAN and some of Jack's fellow Midshipmen were returned to Australia and retrenched. Jack was retained in the service and proceeded to Royal Naval College, Greenwich for six months training before completing courses in gunnery, navigation, torpedo, and signals. Jack served on many ships during WWII including HMS Hawkins in the South Atlantic, then East Africa and was involved in the bombardment of Mogadishu, in Italian Somliland. In 1941 he joined the HMAS Hobart before transferring to HMAS Canberra in 1942, and was rescued by the US Navy following her sinking. Continue reading about Jack's most distinguished career..... |
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10 August HMAS Sydney Fires Standard Missile-6 HMAS Sydney has conducted a successful firing of Standard Missile-6, only weeks after the successful firing of Naval Strike Missile. This is another key milestone in enhancing the lethality capabilities of our Surface Fleet. Standard Missile-6 will further #AusNavy’s air defence capability, extend the range of the Navy’s weapon systems and complement Standard Missile-2 already in service. |
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09 August![]() Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles knows his country needs to build a large and expensive dry dock, and probably add several other large maintenance facilities to cope with an expanding surface fleet. But just when it will begin construction, where it will be built and how much Australia will need to spend for what is likely to be a decade-long project appear to fall under what former US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld called the “known unknowns.” More..... |
09 August![]() Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have furthered their co-development of resilient and autonomous artificial intelligence technology (RAAIT) by sequencing AI algorithms to support target detection and decision-making. Autonomous systems are a critical technology and are one of the six priority areas of AUKUS Pillar II – Advanced Capabilities. RAAIT brings together AI tools and techniques as well as autonomy packages from all three nations and tests and refines their ability to work together collaboratively. More..... |
09 August Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2024 Launch Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity—Indo-Pacific Endeavour—is back for 2024. Indo-Pacific Endeavour is an Australian Defence Force led, whole-of-government activity protecting our and our partners’ interests in the region. |
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09 August![]() The ADF has renewed its focus on cognitive and information warfare by establishing Cyber Command as a new command within Joint Capabilities Group (JCG). The move, which continues the acceleration towards an integrated, focused force, ensures the cyber domain takes its place as the fifth warfighting domain alongside maritime, land, air and space in the application of military power. More..... |
09 August![]() In an unassuming corrugated building in New Mexico sits a state-of-the-art facility where Australian and US Defence personnel have teamed up to test the resilience of Global Positioning System (GPS) devices commonly used by the military in increasingly hostile and electronically jammed environments. They were testing the AN/PSN-13A Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR), a small but capable device about the size of a fist. The DAGR is used in Bushmasters, tanks and Navy vessels, among many other applications. More..... |
08 August![]() Australia, Canada, the Philippines, and the United States have reconfirmed their commitment to uphold the right of freedom of navigation. In a joint statement, published on August 7, defence and military chiefs of the four countries committed to enhance regional and international cooperation for a free and open Indo-Pacific. “Australia, Canada, the Philippines, and the United States uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well as respect for maritime rights under international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” according to the statement. More..... |
08 August![]() From two-storey-high generators that could power the city of Darwin, to power points and everything in between – electrical marine technicians work hard to keep Navy’s lights on. Across the fleet, they are responsible for ships’ electrical power generation and distribution systems, including alternators, electrical switchboards, lighting and corrosion protection. But landing helicopter docks, such as HMAS Adelaide, rely on electricity to power their main azimuth thrusters for propulsion, making electricians vital. More..... |
07 August![]() More than half the world’s container shipping and 80 per cent of global maritime oil trade passes through the Indian Ocean. The ocean stretches from Western Australia’s coastline all the way to Africa’s eastern coast – a region 33 nations and 2.9 billion people call home. The Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference created a forum for leaders to discuss opportunities to strengthen defence and maritime domain cooperation to protect the region, and how industry supports diplomacy, defence and security policy. More..... |
06 August![]() Royal Australian Navy Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Officer (MCDO) Adam Zilko’s current exchange posting to the United States has involved him leading mine counter measures (MCM) exercise planning at RIMPAC 2024. Lieutenant Commander Zilko is posted to the US Command Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Centre (SMWDC) in San Diego on the US west coast, as part of a personnel exchange program. More..... |
06 August![]() A small contingent of serving First Nations Navy personnel recently visited Erub Island (Darnley Island) in the Torres Strait to celebrate The Coming of the Light festival with the local community. Each year on July 1, The Coming of the Light, or ‘Keriba Lagaw Biyu’ in traditional language, is a day of celebration, performance, oral tradition and reverence. The day is of great cultural significance for all Torres Strait Islanders. More..... |
05 August![]() Four ADF maritime trade operations officers joined a multi-national team to ensure the smooth flow of international trade during Exercise RIMPAC in Hawaii. Three of the officers embedded within the naval cooperation and guidance of shipping (NCAGS) element in the coalition maritime component command at the Pacific Warfare Centre at Pearl Harbor. Another member was stationed with the NCAGS maritime industry engagement element at the US Coast Guard Station, Sand Island. More..... |
05 August![]() The Australian government is accelerating production of the Ghost Shark program as part of a commitment to provide the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with the cutting-edge capabilities it needs to safeguard Australians and their interests. Defence and Anduril Australia have entered into a co-funded early works contract for the Ghost Shark program which will provide Navy with a long-range autonomous vehicle that will deliver a cost-effective, persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike undersea capability. More..... |
05 August![]() While alongside at Pearl Harbor, crew of HMAS Sydney toured the historical battleship USS Missouri and the USS Arizona memorial. Leading Seaman Mitchell Pratt said touring Missouri was a highlight as it was great to experience the history of an impressive ship. “Touring the Missouri was definitely a bit surreal in the sense that it’s familiar but at the same time incredibly different to the ships we have now,” Leading Seaman Pratt said. More..... |
05 August![]() Austal Australia has delivered the seventh of 10 Evolved Cape Class patrol boats under contract to the Royal Australian Navy. The vessel, ADV Cape Solander, was officially accepted by the Commonwealth of Australia at Austal’s Henderson, Western Australia, shipyard. Austal Limited chief executive officer Paddy Gregg said Cape Solander was the first of two Evolved Cape Class patrol boats scheduled for delivery to the Royal Australian Navy in CY2024. More..... |
02 August![]() The multinational logistics support element has developed a novel way to support the environmental disposal of plastic sonobuoy casings at the world’s largest maritime exercise: RIMPAC 24. Sonobuoys are metre-long floating tubular devices with underwater sensors that are launched from aircraft or ships. They are deployed in a pattern and transmit acoustic data – vital for anti-submarine warfare. More..... |
August 2024 Should
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01 August![]() Most sportspeople consider representing their country to be the ultimate honour, and so it was for Leading Seaman Lydia Kavoa, who was selected for Rugby Australia’s women’s team, the Wallaroos. Playing as a forward, Leading Seaman Kavoa was awarded her first test cap on July 6 in the 64-5 defeat of Fiji. Her rapid rise to national selection came off the back of receiving a milestone 10 caps for the ACT Brumbies in the 2024 Women’s Rugby competition. More..... |
01 August![]() Canberra has played host to the Navy Emerging Leaders Forum (NELF) and the inaugural Navy Leaders Forum (NLF), providing an opportunity for personal development and the enhancement of leadership and cultural awareness. Held from June 26-27, the forums had a combined attendance of more than 200 Navy personnel. They were delivered by a team from the Directorate of Navy Culture, together with a number of Navy senior leaders, external keynote presenters and other speakers. More..... |
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For all news articles prior to 01 August 2024 go to our News Archive page |
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