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 of information of interest, not just to the extended navy community of Victoria,
serving and ex-serving, but also to the wider Australian navy community.
Latest News for our Navy Network

Download the NOVEMBER edition of our newsletter BROADSIDE
 
BROADSIDE - NOVEMBER 2024 Edition
NOTE:
  To read Broadside in Flipbook form, click on the "Full Screen" arrows.

  27 November
Troubled Virginia submarine production needs emergency funding
The US President’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has delivered a request for $5.7 billion (AU $8.8 billion) in emergency funding to prop up the flagging production of Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines.  Delivered on November 25, it also asks for an additional $1.59 billion (AU $2.46 billion) to arrest slippages in the USN’s highest priority project, the construction of new Colombia class SSBNs.  Multiple outlets including the highly respected Breaking Defense have quoted a senior USN source telling reporters:  More.....
26 November
UK’s first autonomous extra large submarine for military use tested
A team of British engineers based in Portsmouth has successfully demonstrated a new type of autonomous submarine, developed specifically for military use, off the south coast of England.  BAE Systems has introduced Herne, an extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV) designed to enhance military capabilities in underwater surveillance, infrastructure protection, and anti-submarine warfare.  More.....
26 November
New study into needs of Middle East veterans and families
The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSLA) has launched a major initiative to research the impacts on veterans and their families of ADF service since 2002, particularly in conflicts in the Middle East.  RSLA National President Greg Melick said the ground-breaking project aims to identify and better understand the needs and concerns of contemporary veterans and their families, and ensure that they are provided with the support and services they deserve.  More.....
25 November
Better luck this time: Australia hands over replacement Guardian Class to Fiji
The Australian government has handed over control of a new Guardian Class patrol boat, RFMF Timo, to the Republic of Fiji Navy.  The new ship is the third Guardian Class patrol boat delivered to Fiji and the 22nd vessel delivered by Australia under the Pacific Maritime Security Program.  The new vessel is expected to enhance Fiji’s maritime security capability in support of a peaceful, prosperous and resilient region.  More.....
25 November
Celebrating five years of Open Arms’ Community Peer program
This week (25-29 November 2024) commemorates five years since Open Arms’ Community Peer program was first made available nationwide. The lived experience-led program is an integral part of Open Arms’ service, and it makes a huge difference to veterans struggling with their mental health and wellbeing.  Community Peers are veterans and veteran family members that walk along-side Open Arms’ clients and their families on their mental health recovery.  They share their personal experiences of military life and mental health recovery to help people overcome challenges and access the support they need to improve their lives.  More.....
22 November
Expert makes case for a formal Australian Coast Guard
Leading Australian naval and strategic policy expert Jennifer Parker, with the support of the Australian Naval Institute, has published a new issue paper titled Time for a Coastguard: Maritime Threats Require a Structural Rethink, calling for the formal creation of an Australian Coast Guard.  Jennifer Parker’s latest paper, Time for a Coastguard: Maritime Threats Require a Structural Rethink, published by the Australian Naval Institute, argues for the establishment of an Australian Coastguard to manage such evolving threats.  With Australia’s Defence Strategic Review shifting the focus of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to higher-end warfighting, the time has come to re-examine our approach to maritime security.  More.....
22 November
Government announces next-gen Army Landing Craft Heavy
Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy has announced the selection of the preferred option for the Australian Defence Force’s Landing Craft Heavy under a program that will bolster national defence by establishing a new littoral fleet.  Defence Connect can reveal the selection of the Damen Shipyards Group LST100 design as the Australian Army’s new littoral manoeuvre fleet, which provides the mobility essential to the restructure and reposture of the Army.  More.....
22 November
Canada, Australia jointly pledge $474M to research hypersonic missile defense tech
Australia and Canada have inked a new agreement to jointly work on technology to counter the ever-growing threat of missiles, especially hypersonic weapons, Canada’s Minister of National Defence Bill Blair announced today.  “I’m very pleased to announce that Canada and Australia have today signed an agreement to work together on researching emerging missile threats,” Blair told an audience during the kickoff of the Halifax International Security Forum.  More.....
22 November
All aboard HMAS Choules
The Samoan Government made history as the first Pacific island country to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in October.  At Samoa’s request, Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) 1117 deployed ships from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom under a combined maritime group.  The CJTF consisted of Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Choules and ADV Reliant, Royal New Zealand Navy’s HMNZS Canterbury and the Royal Navy’s HMS Tamar.  More.....
22 November
Joining forces to tackle leukaemia
HMAS Cerberus recently welcomed charity organisation Tackling Leukaemia on board during the annual Navy versus Victoria Police rugby match, to spread awareness about how everyday Australians can help combat the insidious illness.  Dubbed ‘Navy Tackles Leukaemia’, the inaugural partnership gave the Tackling Leukaemia team an opportunity to promote Stem Cell Donors Australia – formerly the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry – and explain the importance of closing the gap by encouraging Pasifika and First Nations populations to register.  More.....
21 November
How the government can engage youth on AUKUS
AUKUS Pillar 1 won’t go anywhere without today’s young people. They’re the ones who will carry the decades-long program into action through industry and diplomacy.  The Australian government had better get them on board.  This requires a communications plan that begins with finding out what they think: comments, questions and concerns. University and technical-college student bodies should be a focus.  The assertion that young people are sceptical of the prospect of nuclear-propelled submarines (SSNs) under the AUKUS partnership is not new.  More.....
21 November
Students test in-depth knowledge at HMAS Stirling
Model submarines, remotely operated vehicles and miniature F1 cars propelled by carbon dioxide cartridges were put to the test when about 160 students from around Western Australia gathered aboard HMAS Stirling to showcase their engineering skills and creative designs.  The students put their designs through a series of challenges and races in two STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) competitions as part of the annual SUBS and F1 in Schools event, organised by STEM WA.  Student mentor and a weapons electrical engineer under training, Midshipman Josephine Watkins, said the students were excited about the competition.  More.....
20 November
Partnering with industry at the wider frontiers
Defence showcased advancements in the capabilities and workforces of its cyber and space domains at the 18th annual Military Communications and Information Systems (MilCIS) Conference from November 12 to 14.  MilCIS 2024, held at Canberra’s National Convention Centre, brought together Defence, industry and academia, providing a platform for collaboration and cooperation in the military communications and information systems community.  Chief of Joint Capabilities Lieutenant General Susan Coyle said Joint Capabilities Group (JCG) was committed to fostering industry partnerships.  More.....
19 November
Heroes by day and night
Most people in the Navy get their fill of firefighting during damage control training, and indeed for real, at sea.  It’s a different story for two sailors posted ashore at HMAS Cerberus, who volunteer for their local fire brigade.  Petty Officer Declan Burt and Leading Seaman Shaydan McGuire volunteer with Country Fire Authority's (CFA) Hastings Fire Brigade, responding to a variety of emergencies in their off-duty time.  The pair, with about 20 years of naval experience between them, fulfil instructor roles at Cerberus, at the seamanship and communication schools respectively.  More.....
19 November
Explosive end to combined activity
After months of preparation and an intensive week-long period of putting those plans into action, Exercise Keris Woomera has come to a close in East Java, Indonesia.  Keris Woomera, a component of the ADF’s wider Indo-Pacific Endeavour, represents the largest ever combined joint activity between Australia and Indonesia.  Commander of the Australian Task Force Captain Chris Doherty, of the Royal Australian Navy, said Keris Woomera was an outstanding success, and significantly deepened the bond between the ADF and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI).  More.....
19 November
Report to Congress on AUKUS Nuclear Cooperation
The following is the Nov. 18, 2024, Congressional Research Service In Focus report, AUKUS Nuclear Cooperation.
From the report
On August 7, 2024, President Joseph Biden submitted to Congress an “Agreement among the Government of Australia, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Government of the United States of America for Cooperation Related to Naval Nuclear Propulsion.”  This In Focus explains the agreement’s substance, as well as provisions of the Atomic Energy Act.  More.....
19 November
U.S. Navy needs industry all in on 3D printing parts for subs, or else
Leading Navy admirals and officials now see additive manufacturing as a potential savior of the overstretched submarine force and its “exceptionally fragile” industrial base.  But they need industry to get on board, ASAP.  3D printers are already churning out an ever-larger array of ever-larger parts, from simple plastic safety covers, to high-end specialty valves, to robust metal structures weighing a ton and a half.  And while many companies are embracing the new approach, the service’s program executive officer for attack submarines (PEO-SSN) had stern words for the laggards.  More.....
18 November
Cerberus sails in for firefighter family day
HMAS Cerberus personnel teamed up with the Hastings Fire Brigade for a family open day in October, connecting with hundreds of locals and highlighting Navy roles within the community.  Cerberus rolled out its Navy Community Engagement (NCE) team to support the event at the Hastings fire station, located just 5km from the base.  The fire brigade requested the NCE team after several volunteers, who also serve at Cerberus, suggested it would be an exciting collaboration.  More.....
18 November
Choules' South Pacific port of call
HMAS Choules recently made a short port visit to Port Vila, Vanuatu, after providing support to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) hosted by the Samoan Government.  The visit underscores the four-decade long relationship between Vanuatu and Australia, including the Defence Cooperation Program that has been in place since 1983.  The program is responsive to Vanuatu’s security priorities and supports all three arms of the Vanuatu Police Force, particularly the Police Maritime Wing and Vanuatu Mobile Force.  More.....
18 November
AUKUS nations ink new hypersonic tech sharing agreement
The United States, United Kingdom and Australia today signed a new agreement under the AUKUS trilateral security pact that will allow the three countries to use one another’s hypersonic weapons testing facilities as well as share technical information needed to develop and manufacture the technology.  The new agreement has been dubbed the Hypersonic Flight Test and Experimentation (HyFliTE) Project Arrangement, and will include “up to six” trilateral test flight campaigns by 2028 using a $252 million funding pool, according to a US Defense Department statement.  More.....
14 November
US Navy thanks Australian Defence Force for locating sunken WWII destroyer USS Edsall
US officials thanked the Royal Australian Navy for locating the final resting place of the destroyer, which was sunk by a combined Japanese air and sea attack, east of Christmas Island on 1 March 1942.  The wreck site is the final resting place of almost 185 US Navy personnel and 31 US Army Air Force pilots lost when the ship sank.  “Finding the Edsall further cements the strong alliance that has existed between the United States and Australia since World War II, the relationship between the Royal Australian Navy and the US Navy, further reinforced by the current Australia, United Kingdom, United States trilateral security partnership,” the US Department of the Navy said.  More.....
Exercise Bersama Lima 24 - ADF Clearance Diving Team
Exercise Bersama Lima 2024 marked the ADF’s first deployment of a Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diving Team to a Five Power Defence Arrangements exercise. The team exercised at Tioman Island, Malaysia, conducting mine clearance serials.

13 November
Remembrance Day 2024 - USS Edsall Discovery

13 November
George Washington Carrier Strike Group Begins U.S.-Japan-South Korea Exercise
The George Washington Carrier Strike Group began its participation in the second iteration of the U.S. – Japan – South Korea trilateral multi-domain exercise Freedom Edge, which began on Wednesday and wraps up on Friday.  The trilateral exercise, agreed to by the three countries during the Camp David summit in August 2023, comes in the wake of North Korea’s Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launch on Oct. 31 and Short Range Ballistic Missile launches on Nov. 5.  The U.S. had responded to North Korea’s ICBM launch with a joint air drill on Nov. 3 with Japan and South Korea involving a U.S. Air Force (USAF) B-1 bomber and fighter aircraft from all three countries.  More.....
13 November
Teddy Sheean statue and renamed naval training vessel unveiled in Latrobe during Remembrance Day ceremony
More than 80 years since his death, Tasmanian war hero Edward 'Teddy' Sheean has been recognised with a life-sized statue and the renaming of a naval training unit in his honour.  The announcements mark a significant moment in what has been a drawn out and difficult journey for recognition for the Tasmanian war hero and first Royal Australian Navy VC recipient.  The memorial statue was revealed at a Remembrance Day service in his hometown of Latrobe, in Tasmania's north-west.  More.....
13 November
Houthis Attack Two U.S. Destroyers Leaving the Red Sea, Pentagon Says
Houthi forces attacked two American destroyers with drones and missiles as the ships transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait entering the Gulf of Aden on Monday, a Pentagon spokesman said today.  The Houthis launched at least eight one-way uncrewed aerial systems, five anti-ship ballistic missiles and three anti-ship cruise missiles at USS Spruance (DDG-111) and USS Stockdale (DDG-106), which engaged all the projectiles, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters on Tuesday.  U.S. Central Command has not yet issued a statement.  More.....
13 November
Sailing home for the final time
After 23 years of faithful service, HMAS Gascoyne II sailed through Sydney Heads on its return home for the final time before decommissioning in December.  Commanding Officer Gascoyne Lieutenant Commander Lachlan Browne was joined on board by several former commanding officers of Gascoyne as the ship pulled alongside HMAS Waterhen flying its decommissioning pennant.  “It means a great deal to us to be able to farewell this great ship properly, and just as much to see so many of our friends in the mine warfare community line the wharf to celebrate this occasion with us,” Lieutenant Commander Browne said.  More.....
13 November
A first for Aussie clearance divers
The ADF has, for the first time, deployed a Navy clearance diving team to a Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) exercise.  The team exercised with FPDA partners at Tioman Island, Malaysia, where they cleared Juara Bay of mines laid by a fictitious enemy.  Exercise Bersama Lima, an annual FPDA exercise, took place from October 1 to 18 in Malaysia, Singapore and the FPDA exercise area, including the South China Sea.  More.....
12 November
All bark and bite in San Diego
From intense drills to bite suits, it was a day of teamwork for the crew of HMAS Brisbane and the four-legged heroes of the Naval Base San Diego Military Working Dog Kennels.  Navy personnel toured the kennels, observed an obedience course certification and practised a simulated hostile incident response.  Able Seaman Maritime Personnel Operator Celeste Hardiman, of Clarkefield in Victoria, was especially keen to interact with the combat canines because her family bred German Shepherds for 15 years for the police force.  More.....
12 November
Applications for the 2024-25 Veteran Wellbeing Grant round now open
The 2024-25 Veteran Wellbeing Grants (VWG) round is now open with over $3.8 million of funding available to benefit veterans and families.  The program provides crucial funding to ex-service organisations for community-based projects that enhance the health and wellbeing of veterans and their families.  VWG supports initiatives that:
> improve mental health and overall wellbeing
> raise awareness of veteran-specific issues
> create safe, inclusive spaces that foster social connection, and
> engage younger veterans in meaningful ways.  More.....
12 November
Training ship Mersey renamed in honour of first RAN Victoria Cross recipient
Australian Navy Cadets training ship Mersey has been renamed training ship Sheean in honour of the first and only Royal Australian Navy member awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia.  At the Remembrance Day service in Latrobe, Tasmania, Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, AO, announced the name change alongside the unveiling of a life-sized statue of the ship’s new namesake – Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean, VC.  This honour included the reveal of a new badge and life ring recognising the connection between the future training ship Sheean and Ordinary Seaman Sheean, and his award of the Victoria Cross for Australia.  More.....
OUR NOVEMBER HERO
Able Seaman Robert Henry WELLARD DSM

Robert Henry Wellard, o/n 18867, was born on 28 April 1908 in the small town of Dookie, situated in a valley between Mount Major and Mount Saddleback in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria and joined the Royal Australian Navy on 6th December 1927.

The following was originally written by CMDR Warwick Bracegirdle DSC** and later edited by his son, LCDR Nicholas Bracegirdle.

25/26 October 1944


HMAS SHROPSHIRE took part in one of the greatest naval gunnery battles of all time - the Battle of Surigao Straits near Leyte.
A. B. 'Tubby' Wellard distinguished himself during that Night Action.
Here is how Tubby won his DSM.


Able Seaman "Tubby" Wellard was large and always smiling. Nothing ever seemed to upset him. His daily job in the 8" cruiser, H.M.A.S. Shropshire, was Gunner's Yeoman. You nearly always found him in the gunners' store surrounded with spares for all kinds of armament. Like a floating section of a Woolworth's store, he kept everything from rifle spares, Very pistols, machine guns to the breech blocks of 8" guns. The Gunner kept a sharp eye on him but Tubby knew where every item of the stores were stowed because he usually mustered them in a rough ledger.

One day we were in the midst of embarking a full outfit of ammunition. All decks covered with dumps of lethal explosives. A sweating, stripped to the waist, Tubby was heard to say to a newly joined hostilities only ordinary seaman:

"Stone the crows mate!  Don't ask the Gunnery Officer or Gunner about that - they haven't a clue.  Anything appertainin' to gunnery in this ship ask me - see!!!!"

Continue reading the fascinating story at:  https://navyvic.net/heroes/wellard.html
09 November
NATO allies ready sea drones for the task of repelling enemy warships
A number of NATO countries are pursuing new naval concepts based on sea drones programmed to keep adversaries out of allied waters, a nod to Ukraine’s pursuits with such weapons against Russian ships.  The alliance nations belong to the so-called Joint Capability Group for Maritime Unmanned Systems, or JCGMUS.  The group, created following the 2018 NATO summit in Brussels, comprises more than a dozen nations considered full members, partners or observers.  More.....
08 November
Eyeing future CCA missions, Navy teams with Lockheed, GA to test new drone control system
US Navy pilots sitting comfortably in Maryland recently took a new carrier-based drone control center out for a spin for the first time, piloting a General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger thousands of miles away using autonomous tech made by Lockheed Martin’s secretive Skunk Works division.  The live-flight test of the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control Station (UMCS), conducted Nov. 5, was done “as part of an effort to advance technology for future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA),” Naval Aviation Systems Command wrote in a release on Thursday.  More.....
08 November
NUSHIP Arafura completes sea trials off Adelaide coast
Arafura Class offshore patrol vessel NUSHIP Arafura has completed sea trials off the Adelaide coast, according to manufacturer Luerssen Australia.  The manufacturer has recently received the final sea readiness endorsement and was issued authorisation so NUSHIP Arafura could be formally released and proceed to sea and undertake trials.  Luerssen Australia manager director Malcolm Taylor praised the team involved.  More.....
08 November
Hosting a multinational culture exchange
HMAS Stuart and JS Ariake have hosted simultaneous official receptions during the shore phase of Exercise Malabar.  The unique dual reception included crew from Stuart, Ariake, USS Dewey, members of the Indian Navy and dignitaries from the Australian High Commission – India.  The event provided a unique opportunity for guests to cross-deck and interact with members from partner nations before Malabar’s sea phase.  More.....
08 November
Japan and Germany shortlisted for Australia's next multi-billion-dollar warship program
Australia will begin building its next warships in either Germany or Japan after the government narrowed the field of designs for the navy's new fleet of General Purpose Frigates (GPF) in a contract worth $11 billion over the next decade.  This year plans were unveiled to build up to 11 more heavily armed lighter frigates to replace the ageing Anzac-class fleet, with construction of the initial three vessels to occur overseas before transferring to Western Australia's Henderson shipyard.  More.....
08 November
UK prepares to dismantle its first nuclear-powered submarine
UK defense and aerospace company Babcock International has awarded a recycling contract to KDC Veolia Decommissioning Services (KDCV) for the UK’s nuclear-powered submarine HMS Swiftsure.  As part of the UK’s demonstrator project, Swiftsure will be the first decommissioned UK nuclear-powered submarine to be fully dismantled and disposed of.  Babcock claims that its approach is “the world’s first”, as it plans to apply a “new and innovative methodology”, which will enable around 90% of the structure and components to be reused or recycled.  More.....
08 November
Pacific Fleet Submarine Force Commander Joins Submarine Institute of Australia Conference Panel
Rear Adm. Rick Seif, commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, spoke as part of a trilateral submarine officer panel during the 12th Submarine Institute of Australia (SIA) Biennial Conference 2024, in Canberra, Australia, Nov. 6.  Following his remarks about the capabilities of nuclear powered fast-attack submarines, Seif joined Royal Navy Rear Adm. Andrew Perks, Director Submarines, and Commodore Tom Phillips, commander of the Royal Australian Navy’s Submarine Force, in a discussion highlighting how operating SSNs can deter aggression.  More.....
07 November
Philippine Forces Rehearse Island Seizure in South China Sea
Supported by gunboats and a former U.S. Coast Guard cutter, Philippine Navy SEALs and Marines approached a South China Sea island owned by Manila in a simulated seizure drill as Chinese forces observed from afar on Wednesday.  Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner and other high-ranking officers observed the exercise, among the most intense that Manila has held in the disputed waters, from the bridge of BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16).  More.....
06 November
Ambitious amphibious exercise begins
The largest combined joint activity between the ADF and Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) recently got underway.  Exercise Keris Woomera 2024 (KW24), which involves about 2000 personnel, will feature air, maritime, amphibious and land operations, as well as a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief evacuation scenario.  Taking place in Australia and Indonesia, KW24 highlights the ongoing cooperation between the two countries, which was strengthened by the recent signing of the Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Agreement.  More.....
06 November
Across the decks to knowledge
Royal Australian Navy Anzac Class frigate HMAS Stuart hosted personnel from the Indian Navy during the ship’s visit to Visakhapatnam, India, during Exercise Malabar.  The tour first showcased the forecastle of Stuart, with members from the weapon electrical engineering department answering questions about the ship’s 5-inch gun before the Indian Naval personnel were invited to Stuart’s bridge.  More.....
06 November
Saab brings new autonomous capability to naval vessels
Saab presents Autonomous Ocean Core, a ready-to-use autonomous control system to provide autonomy capabilities to surface and subsurface naval platforms in military and civilian missions. Autonomous Ocean Core is a vessel-agnostic control system with an open architecture, designed to make vessels autonomous to enhance their mission success at sea. It provides baseline autonomy, including vessel control, to platforms on or below the ocean surface and allows operators to add additional capabilities continuously without losing built-in safety functions.  More.....
06 November
RAN to acquire new VTOL UAS capability
Puerto Rico-based Red Cat, via its Australian-based distributor Criterion Solutions, will provide a fleet of 12 FlightWave Edge 130 Blue systems for the Royal Australian Navy.  FlightWave, an industry-leading provider of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone, sensor and software solutions, was acquired by Red Cat in September 2024.  The acquisition brought FlightWave’s flagship drone, the Edge 130 Blue, into its family of low-cost, portable unmanned reconnaissance and precision lethal strike systems.  More.....
06 November
Exercise Keris Woomera amphibious activity
As part of Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2024 (IPE24), the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) will conduct a bilateral amphibious activity for the first time as part of Exercise Keris Woomera in November 2024.  Exercise Keris Woomera is a combined joint activity conducted by ADF and TNI forces including approximately 2,000 personnel drawn from the Navy, Army, and Air Forces of each nation.

05 November
Indonesia starts separate military drills with Russia and Australia
Indonesia has begun its first-ever joint naval drills with Russia while simultaneously conducting military exercises with Australian forces.  Analysts say the exercises are part of Indonesia's efforts to maintain a balanced foreign policy.  The five days of drills with the Russian Navy began on Monday and will take place in two phases at a naval base in Surabaya and in the Java Sea.  More.....
05 November
Chinese Carrier Strike Group Deploys to Philippine Sea
Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Shandong (17) sailed into the Philippine Sea accompanied by two escorts and conducted flight operations there on Monday, according to a Japan Joint Staff Office (JSO) release.  This is the third time that Shandong has deployed to the Philippine Sea this year.  Meanwhile, People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships and a Chinese unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) have been operating around Japan’s southwest islands over the past week.  On Monday in Indonesia, the Russian and Indonesian navies began their first ever bilateral naval exercise with Russia deploying a surface action group for the drills.  More.....
05 November
Investing in Defence's people
The Government will invest more than $600 million to extend and expand the Continuation Bonus for permanent members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and increase the ADF’s Operational Reserves by an additional 1,000 personnel to ensure we can grow and maintain a highly skilled Defence workforce.  Today’s announcement coincides with the release of the 2024 Defence Workforce Plan, which examines planning and development, including the growth and future needs of the integrated workforce as outlined in the National Defence Strategy (NDS) and Integrated Investment Program (IIP).  More.....
04 November
Final sail for warrant officer clocking 50 years
The ability to travel the world is what attracted Warrant Officer Andrew ‘Possum’ Freame to Navy life 50 years ago.  Warrant Officer Freame celebrated the half century of service milestone after joining as a junior recruit at HMAS Leeuwin in Fremantle, WA, in 1974.  The 66-year-old said he had no regrets from his lifetime of service, which began as a fire control rate (gunnery).  “Mum and Dad told me that when I was little I always talked about wanting to be in the Navy, they never really understood why," Warrant Officer Freame said.  More.....
04 November
$7 billion project to create Australian military satellites axed amid defence spending review
A $7 billion program to create an Australian military-grade satellite communications system has been cancelled, with the prime minister insisting the government is busy "prioritising" all defence purchases.  Eighteen months ago, US defence giant Lockheed Martin was selected to deliver a hardened network of three to five satellites to provide high-level protection against cyber and electronic warfare attacks in what would have been Australia's largest-ever defence space contract.  More.....
03 November
Asian shipyards producing dozens of warships each year battle for lucrative Australian naval contract
North Asian rivals South Korea and Japan are emerging as the early favourites in a multi-billion-dollar competition to build Australia's new fleet of light frigates as the Albanese government prepares to select its preferred designs as early as this week.  Five shipbuilders from four separate countries have been asked to submit proposals for a fleet of up to 11 new general purpose frigates (GPF), which will begin to replace the navy's older Anzac-class warships in a project totalling well over $11 billion.  More.....
01 November
Austal Delivers 8th Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat to Australia
The vessel, ADV Cape Schanck (313), is the eighth ECCPB to be constructed at Austal’s Henderson, Western Australia shipyard in four and half years.  Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said Cape Schanck highlights Western Australia’s naval shipbuilding capability, productivity and reliability, and Austal Australia’s successful collaboration with industry and project partners to deliver eight patrol boats in four and half years.  More.....
01 November
Just one Australian submarine is fully operational as aging fleet undergoes urgent maintenance
The Australian Navy has been left with just one fully operational submarine as the rest of its aging Collins-class fleet undergoes urgent repairs or waits to complete scheduled upgrades.  At present, Australia operates a fleet of six Collins submarines which progressively entered service from 1996 but have been recently beset by problems such as "unprecedented" hull corrosion.  More.....
 
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DIARY OF EVENTS
(What's happening around Victoria)
Please refer to our Calendar
for full details of the coming
events listed below.

11 Nov – 11:00 – Remembrance Day Ceremony – Shrine – Sanctuary

17 Nov – 11:00 – HMAS Goorangai Service – Queenscliff

19 Nov – 11:00 – HMAS Sydney Service – Shrine – Sanctuary

20 Nov – 14:00 & 19:00 – Soundwaves concert – HMAS Cerberus cinema complex

25 Nov – 19:00 – NHSA(Vic) Christmas Dinner – Waverley RSL – Guest speaker RADM John Lord AM RAN Rtd.

01 Dec – 11:00 – HMAS Armidale Service – Shrine – Sanctuary

08 Dec – 12:00 – Pearl Harbour Remembrance Service – Shrine - Sanctuary




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