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Latest News for our Navy Network Download the SEPTEMBER edition of our newsletter BROADSIDE |
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BROADSIDE - SEPTEMBER 2024 Edition NOTE: To read Broadside in Flipbook form, click on the "Full Screen" arrows. |
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27 September![]() South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean has for the first time shown their Ocean 4300 frigate design with an integrated Australian CEAFAR-2L radar suite in the Philippines, at the Asian Defence And Security Exhibition (ADAS 2024). The proposal appears in computer graphics only. The Australian-designed radar is not named in the presentation, but evident from its distinct panel configuration. The slides complement a previously known model of the Ocean 4300 shown at IODS 2024 in Perth, Western Australia. More..... |
27 September![]() Army’s UH-60M Black Hawks gained their sea legs at recent first-of-class flight trials, completing the first phase of the helicopter’s Australian shipboard operations certification. The trials, conducted by Navy’s Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Trials Unit, assessed the aircraft’s suitability for operating off the deck and its integration with the ship’s aviation facilities, and determined its limitations for ship-board operations. More..... |
27 September![]() One of Australia’s newest warships HMAS Sydney recently completed Operation Argos in the Yellow Sea. Throughout the operation, Sydney and its embarked MH-60R Seahawk helicopter 'Phoenix' monitored and deterred illegal ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned goods in the region. Leading Seaman Aircrewman James Neville, who is part of the flight crew in the MH-60R Seahawk, played an essential part in monitoring vessels of interest. More..... |
25 September![]() South Korean defense giant Hanwha has dropped its bid to buy Australian shipbuilder Austal, a merger that would have had major implications for global military shipbuilding. The proposal, announced by both companies in dueling press releases in September last year, would have seen the world’s 19th largest defense contractor add the 80th largest defense contractor to its portfolio. It would also have bolstered the increasingly close defense and national security ties between Seoul and Canberra. More..... |
25 September Navy’s largest exercise concludes in the top end Australia’s largest maritime warfare exercise Kakadu 2024 has come to a successful close in the port of Darwin. The 16th iteration of the exercise featured warships from over ten nations, maritime patrol aircraft from five nations and 3,500 armed forces personnel. |
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25 September![]() It is long past time for Taiwan again to be included in the United Nations. Reasons include the need to address growing military tensions in the Taiwan Strait and to acknowledge Taiwan’s thriving democracy and economic importance. That economic importance includes Taiwan’s enormous role in global supply chains. It produces more than 90 percent of the world’s high-end semiconductors and a significant portion of the advanced chips that drive the artificial intelligence revolution. Moreover, half of the world’s seaborne trade passes through the Taiwan Strait. More..... |
25 September![]() Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles and SM-2 Standard Missiles have been loaded onto Australian, Canadian and US warships during a historic first milestone for naval rearmament in northern Australia. The naval rearmament of vertical launching system (VLS) munitions for the Royal Australian Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and the United States Navy was performed at the conclusion of Exercise Kakadu in northern Australia earlier this month. More..... |
24 September![]() The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has published its latest report into deaths by suicide of current and former serving ADF members who have served at least one day in the ADF since 1 January 1985. The Serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members who have served since 1985 suicide monitoring: 1997 to 2022 report found that there were 1763 certified deaths by suicide between January 1997 and December 2022. More..... |
24 September![]() Can an unmanned vessel be legally classified as a warship? Under international law, it must belong to a state’s armed forces, bear external marks distinguishing ships of its nationality, be under a commissioned officer’s command and manned by crew subject to discipline. But does an officer need to be aboard to command? And does it need to be physically manned, so long as it’s under a crew’s control? More..... |
23 September![]() International resolve for Indo-Pacific maritime security was on show recently when HMAS Sydney joined with allies and regional partners in the Yellow Sea to conduct cooperative activities during Operation Argos. Sydney received a replenishment at sea (RAS) and a vertical replenishment from German Navy’s FGS Frankfurt am Main while Royal New Zealand Navy HMNZS Aotearoa provided fuel to FGS Baden-Wurttemberg. The ships also conducted officer-of-the-watch manoeuvres including a 'formation foxtrot'. More..... |
23 September![]() Senior Defence leaders and industry partners officially launched the Destroyer Enterprise at the Osborne Naval Shipyard recently, ushering in a new era of evolution and sustainment for the Hobart-class air warfare destroyers HMA Ships Hobart, Sydney and Brisbane. Defence representatives and Australian industry partners BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Thales, Saab, Raytheon and Navantia formally signed the Enterprise Charter, affirming a commitment to partnership under values of respect, openness, teamwork, professionalism and collaboration. More..... |
21 September![]() It was an unusual day for HMAS Warramunga, sailing around northern Australia as part of Exercise Kakadu. At approximately 10.30am, a securely wrapped 100kg package containing essential stores was loaded onto a C-27J Spartan at RAAF Base Darwin. Then 45 minutes later, the package was hurtling towards the ocean with a parachute in tow. The replenishment pallet splashed safely into the sea, 300m off the starboard side of Warramunga. More..... |
20 September![]() In a first for the Navy warfare community, recent graduates of the Basic Combat Systems Operators – Mine Warfare (CSO-MW) Session 012 got to experience training with autonomous underwater vehicles. Officer in Charge Lieutenant Commander Simon Abley said the unique training gave sailors a competitive edge to be able to carry out their role at sea, contributing to Defence’s integrated and focused force. “This is the inaugural class to undertake the Basic Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) course conducted by the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania, as a component of the Basic CSO-MW training,” he said. More..... |
20 September HMAS Perth Strengthens Ties with Indonesia during Makassar Visit The Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Perth visited the Indonesian port city of Makassar to celebrate 75 years of friendship between the two nations. |
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20 September![]() Quick thinking and swift action by Royal Australian Navy officers has helped save the life of a driver following a dramatic accident on a roadway in California, United States. While travelling via Uber back to the destroyer HMAS Brisbane, berthed at US Navy Base San Diego, Lieutenant Jack Stanhope and Sub-Lieutenant Liam Lord observed an adjacent vehicle lose control, swerve suddenly and flip multiple times before coming to a stop as a small fire broke out underneath the wrecked car. The officers immediately stopped their Uber, notified emergency services and responded to the incident. More..... |
19 September![]() Western Australia-based shipbuilder Austal and autonomous systems innovator Greenroom Robotics have announced a strategic commercial partnership following the successful completion of the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial for the Royal Australian Navy. The Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) between Austal Australia and Greenroom Robotics will see the companies collaborate further on developing watercraft-based products, services and technologies that may reduce crewing, increase safety, and enable remote and autonomous operation of vessels designed and constructed by Austal Australia. More..... |
19 September![]() Over the last three decades, the Australian Defence Force (ADF), enjoying an era of peace and strategic stability, shifted from prioritising sovereign fuel resilience to investing heavily in outsourcing. With strategic warning times shrinking and supply chain vulnerabilities surfacing, the ADF must elevate fuel security to a Fundamental Input to Capability status. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was not merely a symbolic end to the Cold War; it heralded a new era of unprecedented globalisation. It accelerated the development of just-in-time supply chains, centralised production, offshoring and privatisation. More..... |
19 September![]() From 20 September 2024, some veterans and their families will receive an increase to their DVA pension and compensation payments in line with increases to the cost of living. You don’t have to do anything to receive the increase, it will automatically be applied to your payment. The first full payment at the new rates will be payday 17 October 2024. The pension for payday 3 October covers entitlements for the period 17 September 2024 to 30 September 2024 and will be paid partly at the old rate and partly at the new rate. The maximum rate of single service pension will rise by $28.10 to $1,144.40 per fortnight and the maximum rate for couples will increase by $21.20 to $862.60 per fortnight (each). More..... |
18 September![]() The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Liaoning Carrier Strike Group (CSG) deployed to the Philippine Sea Wednesday, in the carrier’s first western Pacific deployment since completing a mid-life refurbishment in March. CNS Liaoning (16), accompanied by destroyers CNS Chengdu (120) and CNS Huainan (123), was sighted 130 miles northwest of Uotsuri Island around 7 p.m. Tuesday, according to a Wednesday release from Japan’s Joint Staff Office. A three-ship PLAN surface action group followed, likely also part of the Liaoning CSG. More..... |
18 September![]() Space is supposed to be big, “vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big,” as a wise man once said. But low Earth orbit (LEO), where most satellites now linger, is not as big as it may seem. And with thousands of satellites floating there now and tens of thousands more on the way, there will be, eventually, no room left. When that will happen is unclear, but a new study by MITRE takes a stab at establishing a framework to determine at what point does the sheer volume of space traffic in LEO overwhelm the environment — making it impossible for satellites to function due to interference and the risk of collision with each other and orbiting debris. More..... |
18 September![]() Admiral Sir Victor Alfred Trumper ‘VAT’ Smith led the first mass torpedo strike against a major warship at sea, survived being shot down twice and escaped from two sinking ships. However, these accomplishments were not what later earned him the title of the ‘Father of Australia’s Fleet Air Arm’. That tale has been told in a book launched by the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) Museum in late August. Admiral V.A.T. Smith: The Extraordinary Life of the Father of Australia’s Fleet Air Arm is authored by Graeme Lunn, who served as a reserve naval diver and FAA pilot in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) before a long career with British Airways. More..... |
18 September![]() Australian and Japanese forces came together to honour the fallen at the I-124 memorial in Darwin during the harbour phase of Exercise Kakadu. Members of the Royal Australian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the Australian Japanese Association of the Northern Territory (AJANT) gathered for a wreath-laying ceremony. President of the AJANT Janet Truong started the ceremony by explaining the history of the memorial, which was commissioned in 2017 on the 75th anniversary of the sinking of Japanese submarine I-124 and the loss of 80 sailors. More..... |
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![]() The story of coincidence, persistence and happenstance – a set of historic documents uncovered at the Australian High Commission in London highlighted the depth of the relationship between Australia and Britain and the unique friendship between a future senior naval officer and a future King. Letters, diaries, a journal and some photos belonging to the then Royal Navy Captain Henry Hastings McWilliam were discovered in a cupboard in the High Commission three months ago. They had been lent to the Australian War Memorial more than a decade ago to archive as part of Australia’s war history. More..... |
16 September![]() Wide smiles and enthusiastic greetings flooded the decks of warships from Japan, Canada and Malaysia as they sailed into Darwin Harbour. They’re here to participate in Exercise Kakadu, the Royal Australian Navy’s largest and most significant multi-national maritime warfare activity. While greeting Japanese warfare destroyer JS Ariake and crew at Kuru Wharf in HMAS Coonawarra, Commodore Flotillas Commodore Paul O’Grady underlined the importance of this year’s exercise theme: ‘regional cooperation through trusted and proven partnerships’. More..... |
16 September![]() Australia requires persistent access to Antarctica and needs to reconsider its 2021 decision to abandon plans for a year-round runway near Davis Station. Unimpeded access to Antarctica is necessary as to solidify Australia’s status as a major stakeholder. In doing so, it will help deter the malign actions of China and Russia on the continent. These countries, who are already investing in dual-use facilities, risk becoming a threat to Australia’s southern flank for centuries to come. More..... |
16 September![]() Last Saturday, on the anniversary of Australia’s first peacekeeping deployment, we marked National Peacekeepers’ Day. On 14 September 1947, Australians were among the world's first peacekeepers deployed into the field, when working alongside personnel from Belgium, Britain, China, France and the United States, they help Indonesia gain independence from the Netherlands. This heralded the start of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations. Over the last 77 years, tens of thousands of Australian military members, police personnel and civilians have served in peacekeeping roles. Sixteen Australians have lost their lives serving on these operations. More..... |
16 September OUR SEPTEMBER HERO ![]() Vice Admiral Sir Alan McNicoll served as Chief of Navy from 1965-1968. McNicoll faced the drawn out agony of the first and, in 1967-68, the second Voyager royal commission which damaged public perception of the RAN and its senior leadership. The Indonesian ‘Confrontation’ with Malaysia demanded high commitment from the RAN, and the Vietnam War required a naval response. The arrival of new classes of British designed submarines and American built guided-missile destroyers brought challenges in tactics, manpower, training, logistics and technology, and the fate of fixed wing aviation in the RAN hung in the balance. There were also many personnel issues to be resolved. McNicoll managed all these actual and potential crises with common sense, attention to detail, charm and acute perception of the tides of opinion. Both the Oberon Class submarines and Adams Class destroyers became successes, a new class of patrol boats was commissioned, the Fleet Air Arm was re-equipped with American aircraft, and the RAN commitment of destroyers, clearance divers and helicopter units to Vietnam enhanced its strategic and tactical development. The visible legacy of McNicoll’s tenure is the Australian White Ensign, which replaced that of the Royal Navy in March 1967. Continue reading about his illustrious career at: https://navyvic.net/heroes/mcnicoll.html |
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13 September![]() The Royal Australian Navy’s flagship maritime exercise has commenced in Darwin drawing nearly 3000 personnel from 30 nations. Exercise Kakadu 24, which will run from September 9 to 20, underscores Australia’s commitment to regional maritime security and international partnerships. This year’s edition, the 16th iteration, promises to be the largest and most diverse yet, with participants from over 30 countries, ships from 10 countries and aircraft from five nations converging in the North Australian exercise area. More..... |
13 September![]() World leaders in research and innovation will explore the art of the possible when they gather for the Australian Defence Science, Technology and Research (ADSTAR) Summit from September 17 to 19 in Canberra. The theme of this year’s summit is ‘Accelerating the delivery of asymmetric defence capabilities’ and the vision is to drive capability development and acquisition pathways to deliver new technology to the ADF. More..... |
12 September![]() The Navy Golf Association teamed up with Year 9 and 10 students from Sydney Secondary College Leichhardt Campus recently, helping to hone their skills while teaching them about Defence careers. With generous support of the Navy Sports Council, 20 students engaged with NSW Navy Golf personnel during a training session at GolfSpace in Alexandria, Sydney. During the two-hour session, students divided into smaller groups and played a friendly competition alongside Navy members. More..... |
12 September![]() Australia’s impending $11 billion general purpose frigate decision is about more than which nation’s frigate design is best. It’s also about what each nation and its defence industry can mean for Australian and regional security if a particular frigate is chosen. Spanish, German and South Korean companies have sold systems to Australia’s military and are well-practised marketers and sellers of defence equipment internationally. Japan is not a defence exporter and is offering the Mogami frigate because it sees real value in deepening the Australia–Japan military partnership given their shared region and its dangers. More..... |
11 September![]() HMAS Sydney recently joined a multinational task group to conduct cooperative activities in the Pacific Ocean. Participants included the French Navy’s FS Bretagne; German Navy’s FGS Frankfurt Am Main and Baden-Wurttemberg; Italian Navy’s ITS Cavour, Alpino and Montecuccoli; and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s JS Izumo and Onami. Commanding Officer Sydney Commander Grant Coleman said working with partner nations enabled Australia to deepen its military-to-military relationships. More..... |
11 September![]() Cheryle Stone did not even know she had a second cousin—much less one who had been killed at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941—until the U.S. Navy contacted her in 2021, asking for a DNA sample. The sample matched, and Stone was suddenly connected to history. A Black sailor serving in a segregated Navy, 19-year-old David Walker was a mess attendant 3rd class aboard the battleship USS California when the Japanese attacked. Two torpedoes breached the ship’s hull, forcing it to tilt as it filled with water. Enemy bombs then began exploding on the deck. When the attack ended, 102 crewmembers had been killed, including Walker. More..... |
09 September![]() Australian Government Departments are subject to false or misleading representation by companies wanting to have access to funding via their clients, including DVA. DVA clients have access to services or programs to help them through either physical or mental health medical conditions and are at risk of third-party organisations who provide false representation of DVA approvals, to encourage you to use their services. Some companies will go as far as stating their programs have full DVA approval when they haven’t even been assessed yet. More..... |
09 September![]() The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide will hand down its Final Report to the Governor-General this morning. It is likely to be tabled in Parliament this afternoon. You can access the report on the Australian Parliament House website once it has been tabled. View video..... |
08 September Thanks for having us HMAS Sydney recently joined a multinational task group to conduct cooperative activities including officer of the watch manoeuvres, key leadership engagement cross-decking and a replenishment at sea. Participants included the French Navy’s FS Bretagne, German Navy’s FGS Frankfurt Am Main and Baden-Wurttermberg, Italian Navy’s ITS Cavour, Alpino and Montecuccoli and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s JS Izumo and Onami. |
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08 September![]() In January 2007, Roger Hurd was trekking the coast of turrakana/Tasman Peninsula in south-east Tasmania when he walked straight over a navy shell. Partly covered in sand and beach debris, the shell was hard to see, so Mr Hurd continued his walk until he realised that he may have passed something significant. "I thought, 'Hang on a minute, that looks a bit odd' and I went back and had a closer look," Mr Hurd said. "I realised it was an old, unexploded shell." More..... |
07 September![]() The loading rehearsal with an inert missile occurred at the Australian Marine Complex in Henderson, Western Australia on 5 September. HMAS Ballarat sailors, as well as personnel from Thales Explosive Ordnance Services, received instruction on the correct procedures for dockside handling and ship loading of the NSM and associated Launcher Missile Modules (LMM). The NSM is replacing Harpoon missiles on Australian Anzac-class frigates and Hobart-class destroyers under Project Sea 1300 Phase 1, plus it will equip Hunter-class frigates. More..... |
07 September![]() The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy rescued the passengers of a French-flagged vessel caught in bad weather off the coast of Honolulu, Hawaii, over the weekend, as well as a cat and tortoise that were along for the cruise. Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received a distress signal at 12:33 p.m. from a sailboat’s emergency position indicating radio beacon Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The endangered passengers were 925 miles east of Honolulu. More..... |
05 September![]() As HMAS Sydney berthed alongside in Yokosuka, Japan, Able Seaman Anna Kuroda saw her home country for the first time from a Navy ship. As a boatswain’s mate she has prime position on the forecastle. She is a member of the cable party and recently assumed responsibilities as the supervisor of berthing line handling teams. She recently stepped up to take charge of the forecastle for the entire berthing evolution. More..... |
05 September![]() The wedge-tailed eagle, a symbol of leadership and courage, has been used as the inspiration for a unique artwork commissioned to represent the Australian Military Police. Chief of Personnel Lieutenant General Natasha Fox unveiled the work of art, along with artist Kristie Peters and Military Police representative Garawa man Private Tyreece Potts, at an event on Ngunnawal country in Canberra recently. The image represents protection and strength, showing the importance of a strong and respectful military police team that comes together to protect and support ADF people. More..... |
04 September![]() On the first Wednesday in September, we commemorate Battle for Australia Day. Prime Minister John Curtin used the term 'Battle for Australia' after Singapore fell to Japanese forces on 15 February 1942: "Just as Dunkirk began the Battle for Britain, so does Singapore open the Battle for Australia. It is now work or fight as we have never worked or fought before. On what we do now depends on everything we hope to do when this bloody test has been survived." Four days later, the Australian mainland was attacked by Japanese aircraft during the Bombing of Darwin. Fears of invasion grew. More..... |
04 September![]() The first Pop-up ADF Careers Centre has opened in Geelong, Victoria. The new concept allows the ADF Careers teams to engage with regional and rural Australians to show them what a possible career in the ADF could look like. The static ADF Careers Centres have always played a critical part in the engagement and education of potential recruits. Adecco has taken an innovative and data-driven approach with how they take the ADF Careers message into regional and rural Australia through the pop-up concept. More..... |
04 September![]() Three years ago, after her husband David’s death by suicide, Major Angela Uphill found support in Legacy. They reached out, offering stability during her family's toughest times, providing access to recreational activities and camps, giving her children a sense of connection with others who have faced similar experiences. “It makes the kids feel a little bit special,” Major Uphill said. “They're aware of the reason we get the support and that it’s because of our loss, and that makes them feel like someone is looking out for them.” More..... |
03 September![]() NUSHIP Arafura, the first of class offshore patrol vessel (OPV), has commenced sea trials on Monday last week, August 26, 2024. Interestingly neither the Australian Department of Defence nor any other government agencies have issued official statements on the event. Personal imagery and comments by officials, industry representatives at builder Luerssen Australia and local shipsspotters on various social media platforms exclusively make up all information on this notable step for a major, if troubled defence procurement. More..... |
02 September![]() When her father returned from the Second World War, Suzanne McInnes helped him sell Legacy badges to raise funds for the families of those who didn’t make it home. A lifetime later and she’s still raising money for the 100-year-old veterans' charity. Every year for a week in September, Mrs McInnes takes to local shopping centres and parks to sell Legacy badges to keep the lights on at the Queanbeyan Legacy village, home to about 20 veterans’ widows. The Queanbeyan Legacy branch also helps about 60 other families across Southern NSW. More..... |
02 September![]() Australia will hire 200 people over the next two years to gear up for the allied rotational submarine presence at its western naval base, the government announced today. The boost to the submarine workforce is part of the new Jobs for Subs effort that will hire personnel to work for the government-owned ASC Pty Ltd as maintainers of nuclear-powered submarines. “There will be 200 apprentices trained in highly skilled jobs connected with the operation and maintenance of these nuclear-powered submarines,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters on Monday during a press conference at the naval base. More..... |
02 September![]() Primary and secondary students from all over the nation have had the opportunity to discover the stories of veterans in their local communities through the 2024 Anzac Day Schools’ Awards. There’s more to war, conflict and peace operations than what is recorded in history books. For many people it was, and is, a significant chapter in their lives, and their service and sacrifices are remembered and told by these young Australians. The entries were broad, showcasing the respectful and imaginative ways that students learnt about Australia’s military history and the experiences of veterans in their local community. More..... |
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For all news articles prior to 01 September 2024 go to our News Archive page |
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