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Latest News for our Navy Network Download the .pdf DECEMBER edition of our newsletter BROADSIDE |
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BROADSIDE - DECEMBER 2025 Edition NOTE: To read Broadside in Flipbook form, click on the "Full Screen" arrows. |
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19 December 2025 Sailor of Year Meet 2025 Sailor of Year - Petty Officer Steph Horswood |
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19 December New
kid on the block steps upWhen Brisbane-born Seaman* Molly Bowman joined Navy, she continued a family tradition, but was still unsure of what she wanted to do in the fleet. Little did she know that within weeks of graduating her recruit training, she would be chosen to represent Navy recruits and honour 100 years of training at the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus. More.... |
19 December Navy launches suicide drone from ship at sea for
first timeThe U.S. Navy launched a one-way attack drone this week from a littoral combat ship, marking the first time a suicide drone was deployed from a U.S. vessel at sea. A Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System drone, known as a LUCAS drone, was launched from the flight deck of the USS Santa Barbara, an Independence-class littoral combat ship currently operating in the Arabian Gulf. More.... |
19 December Stalwart
visit to Aussie Hero QuiltsTwo members of HMAS Stalwart ship's company had the privilege of meeting Jan Maree Ball, CEO and founder of Aussie Hero Quilts, at the organisation’s headquarters during a recent port visit to Fleet Base East. The visit offered a rare opportunity to witness the heart of an initiative that has supported deployed personnel for more than a decade. More.... |
19 December Another
option for Australian maritime defence: Japan’s advanced
anti-ship missileGround-launched missiles for warding off enemy warships could be the next item on the table for Australia–Japan defence equipment cooperation. The candidate weapon is the Upgraded Type-12 SSM, unofficially called the Type-12 SSM-ER, which Japan plans to introduce before April of 2026. More.... |
19 December Australia
orders two additional evolved Cape-class patrol boatsAustal Ships has been awarded a further contract extension, valued at over A$135 million, for the construction of two additional evolved Cape-class patrol boats for the Australian Border Force. The evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat design features expanded accommodations for up to 32 personnel, enhanced quality-of-life systems, and advanced sustainment technologies to maximize operational availability. More.... |
18 December Austal
Defence Australia awarded $681 million landing craft
contract Down UnderShipbuilder Austal Defence Australia has received a $1 billion AUD ($681 million USD) contract from the Australian government to design and build 18 Landing Craft Medium (LCM) vessels, the company announced Wednesday. The deal will see Austal complete the detailed design and construction for the landing craft at the company’s shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia. More.... |
17 December New
Chinese Carrier Fujian Sails Through the Taiwan StraitThe People’s Liberation Army Navy newest aircraft carrier CNS Fujian (18) sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense. Videos posted to social media show Fujian departing Sunday from Yulin Naval Base, which is also the homeport of aircraft carrier CNS Shandong (17). More.... |
16 December More
alike than oceans apartWhen Lieutenant Claudia Howland put her hand up to join a French polar vessel for a voyage across Southern Australia, she wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The surface warfare officer had never been on board one of France’s Marine Nationale fleet ships, let alone the 72-metre L’Astrolabe – one of its icebreakers. More.... |
12 December $10
million Oasis Townsville veterans support hub folds after $1
million lossA $10 million veterans support centre in Australia's largest garrison city closes its doors today amid a bitter funding dispute, leaving veterans angry and frustrated. Townsville's Oasis Support Centre described itself as "ground zero" in the federal government's plan for 17 veterans and family support hubs across the country. But four years after the flagship centre opened, it will be shuttered, after posting a $1 million loss this year to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. More.... |
12 December Australia
and Japan should secure the sea lanes that could decide the
next warAustralia and Japan should split the burden of protecting critical sea lines of communication (SLOC) in the Pacific. In an ASPI special report published today, Japan-Australia defence cooperation in the Pacific: The case for a partial division of labour, I argue that this will be necessary to reinforce deterrence now and prepare for the growing possibility of a regional war instigated by China. In such a conflict, the United States would likely be focused on fighting China and would expect allies to shoulder much of the burden of protecting their own supply chains. More.... |
11 December Royal
Navy tracks Russian submarine through UK watersThe Royal Navy tracked a Russian submarine through the English Channel in a coordinated three-day operation with NATO allies. This comes as the UK has seen a 30% increase in Russian vessels threatening UK waters in the past two years. A specialist Merlin helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron and RFA tanker Tidesurge shadowed the Russian Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar and accompanying tug boat Altay as they sailed westward from the North Sea, through the Strait of Dover and into the English Channel. More.... |
11 December China,
Russia experiment with stealthy satellitesChina and Russia are experimenting with stealth technologies aimed at making it harder for radar and telescopes to find their satellites, according to a senior Space Force official. “In years past, we’ve talked about this cat and mouse game that was happening at GEO [geosynchronous Earth orbit] — Chinese, Russian, US satellite, sort of stalking each other. This past year has really been more of a hide and seek game that we’ve seen at LEO [low Earth orbit].” More.... |
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11 December Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2025 draws to a close Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE) is Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity. IPE is a practical demonstration of the Australian Government’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous region, founded on openness, respect for sovereignty and adherence to agreed rules and norms. |
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OUR DECEMBER HERO CDRE
Ian Arthur CALLAWAY OAM MidIan Arthur CALLAWAY was born in Sydney on 21 May 1937, the son of Lieutenant Commander Arthur Henry Callaway DSO RANVR and Thelma May Callaway [nee Rowe]. He was educated at Sydney High School before being selected for the Royal Australian Navy’s 1953 Intermediate entry. He was Gunnery Officer on HMAS Parramatta towards the end of confrontation with Indonesia and, on HMAS Hobart during her second deployment to the war in Vietnam. He was Mentioned in Despatches in 1969 for the meritorious performance of his duties as Gunnery Officer. It was during this deployment that Hobart, during a friendly fire incident, was struck by three Sparrow missiles fired by a Thailand-based US Air Force Phantom aircraft. Two sailors were killed and several wounded. More.... |
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11 December The
two Navy officers breaking ground, heading towards Winter
ParalympicsSkiing down a snowy slope at 50 kilometres an hour, with only a sighted guide to help her, was not on Able Seaman Taryn Dickens' bucket list. Originally from Queensland, she didn't have much to do with snow before she decided to take up winter sports. But she is now on a mission to become the first Australian vision-impaired athlete to compete in the para-cross country and para-biathlon at the Paralympics. More.... |
11 December AUKUS
ministers meet in Washington as Hegseth praises Australia
for 'stepping up'The defence minister insists the AUKUS program is on track to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines in the next decade — despite the delays plaguing shipbuilding programs in both the US and the UK. Richard Marles has met with his American and British counterparts for the fourth annual AUKUS ministers meeting in Washington DC. He said the talks focused on executing the ambitious plan, now that both the US and the UK had finished reviews of it. More.... |
11 December Australia's
strategic fleet tender stalls amid growing maritime
vulnerabilitiesA federal plan to build a strategic fleet of Australian-flagged ships designed to strengthen the nation's maritime resilience and provide vessels for crises, emergencies, or defence support has quietly slipped behind schedule. The fleet would be operated by civilian commercial crews but could be requisitioned by the government or the Australian Defence Force in times of national need. More.... |
10 December U.K.
Wants New Hybrid Fleet to Counter Russian SubmarinesThe U.K. plans to transform the Royal Navy’s submarine-hunting capabilities with a hybrid naval force meant to counter Russian undersea threats in the North Atlantic. The program, dubbed Atlantic Bastion, is an undersea warfare plan that outlines that will use advanced hybrid naval forces to defend the U.K. and NATO allies against evolving threats. More.... |
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10 December HMAS Ballarat Ship Tour The Royal Australian Navy is undertaking its fourth Regional Presence Deployment for 2025. From early September until early December, HMAS Ballarat will sail throughout the Indo-Pacific to conduct training, exercises and other engagements with regional navies. |
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10 December U.S.
Seizes Tanker Off Coast of Venezuela, Trump saysThe U.S. seized a tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday during a meeting with business leaders. Trump did not offer additional details aside from describing it as a “large tanker, very large” and that it “was seized for a very good reason.” He teased that there could be more actions to come. The Coast Guard referred all questions to the White House. The White House did not immediately respond to USNI News. More.... |
10 December Lord
Howe Island native brings an LHD homePersonnel on board HMAS Canberra lived a story worth telling during a recent tasking on Lord Howe Island. Canberra was chasing desirable meteorological conditions as part of UH-60M helicopter first-of-class flight trials, which brought the landing helicopter dock (LHD) ship near the island in the Tasman Sea. Seizing the opportunity to engage the island community, Canberra provided non-emergency assistance through the supply of communication masts. More.... |
09 December Russian,
Chinese Bombers Fly Joint Patrol Near Japan, South KoreaRussian and Chinese bombers conducted a joint patrol Tuesday, flying over the East China Sea and Western Pacific, prompting Seoul and Tokyo to scramble fighter aircraft to monitor the flights. At approximately 10:00 a.m. local time, seven Russian military aircraft and two Chinese military aircraft entered the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) over the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the same day in a news release. More.... |
08 December Soon
no Pearl Harbor survivors will be aliveSurvivors of the 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor have long been the center of a remembrance ceremony held each year on the military base’s waterfront. But today only 12 are still alive — all centenarians — and this year none were able to make the pilgrimage to Hawaii to mark the event Sunday. That means no one who attended had firsthand memories of serving during the attack, which killed more than 2,300 troops and catapulted the U.S. into World War II. More.... |
07 December Japan
and Australia urge calm after Chinese radar locks onto
Japanese jetsJapan and Australia have urged calm after Chinese military aircraft locked radar onto Japanese fighter jets, a month after the Japanese leader's recent remarks on Taiwan that stirred tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan formally protested the incident, calling it "an extremely regrettable" act and a "dangerous" one that "exceeded the scope necessary for safe aircraft operations". More.... |
04 December One
final wish: Committal of ashes to the seaHMAS Ballarat has honoured the life and service of four former Royal Australian Navy members and one Royal Navy sailor by committing their ashes to the sea off the coast of Darwin. Ballarat committed the ashes of Chief Petty Officer Marine Technician Ronald John Abrahams, Chief Petty Officer Radio Supervisor Special Graham Edward Cooper, Chief Petty Officer Coxswain Peter Daniel Russell, Leading Seaman Marine Technician Jerry Vincent Malysz and Leading Seaman Samuel Hiller. More.... |
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05 December Celebrating 10 years of Australian Navy’s LHD Fleet HMAS Adelaide was commissioned at Fleet Base East, Sydney on 4 December 2015, just over 12 months after her sister ship, HMAS Canberra was commissioned on 28 November 2014. |
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04 December Labor
backs ‘practical’ nuclear disarmament, Wong saysLabor backs “practical” efforts to reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles across the world, Anthony Albanese’s top diplomat has said after a senior defence official revealed a naval base in Western Australia could host nuclear-armed US submarines. Greens senator David Shoebridge on Thursday peppered Foreign Minister Penny Wong with wide-ranging queries during Senate estimates. More.... |
04 December Sisterhood
at seaLife on a patrol boat can be challenging – long days, tight spaces and a crew of nearly 30 where women are often the minority. For Medic Able Seaman Ainsley Whipps and Boatswain’s Mate Leading Seaman Karin Smit, those challenges forged an unbreakable bond as the only two women on board HMAS Bathurst. Both sailors joined the Navy for different reasons. Able Seaman Whipps enlisted as a medic to push herself out of her comfort zone. More.... |
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04 December Armidale Class Patrol Boat Triple Decommissioning Ceremony The Royal Australian Navy is commemorating the legacy of our Armidale Class Patrol Boats with a triple Decommissioning Ceremony at their home port, HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin. |
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03 December HMAS Ballarat Helicopter Operations The Royal Australian Navy is undertaking its fourth Regional Presence Deployment for 2025. |
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03 December From
farm boy to Navy buoyTipping rotting shark flesh off the side of an illegal fishing vessel, Boatswain’s Mate Able Seaman Elias Harbison was far from the green expanse of the Bundaberg farm he called home. With a childhood spent on a 25-hectare cattle farm on the outskirts of Bundaberg, Able Seaman Harbison never imagined his life would one day revolve around the sea. “It was awesome. Motorbikes, guns, the whole lot – I miss it all the time, especially when I’m out at sea,” he said. More.... |
03 December Gun
Busters keep Ballarat fit to fightInside HMAS Ballarat’s five-inch gun system, a small team of weapons specialists is hard at work on what they love most. They are the ship’s ‘Gun Busters’ – a five-person team of electronics technicians responsible for maintaining the ship’s weapons systems, ammunition and explosive ordnance. They ensure Ballarat is always ready to fight. For Able Seaman Trey Gillott, it is a dream job. More.... |
03 December All
aboard for Defence familiesHMAS Canberra played host to more than 300 family members and guests for a rare weekend at sea, off the coast of NSW. The ship turned into a buzzing mix of tours, demos, physical training workouts, a movie night and some impressive catering as everyone got a taste of life on board. From watching a UH-60 Black Hawk lift off the deck, to exploring areas normally off-limits, visitors received the full experience. More.... |
03 December ‘Not
justifiable’: ADF chief David Johnston paid three times more
than US counterpart, hearing toldChief of the Australian Defence Force David Johnston is paid nearly three times as much as his counterpart in the United States, Senate estimates has been told. Admiral Johnston is paid $896,372 per year compared to the $343,000 paid to the US Chief of Joint Chiefs of Defence, Greens Senator David Shoebridge revealed. Senator Shoebridge said the remuneration was “not justifiable”. More.... |
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02 December End of Year Message from the Chief of Navy 2025 has been a year driven by our Navy people. I want to thank you for your service and for your commitment to optimising our Fleet, accelerating delivery of the future Fleet, maximising safety, availability, lethality and preparedness, and deterring conflict. |
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02 December New
details of ADF sexual violence probe revealedA landmark independent inquiry into sexual violence in the Australian Defence Force is set to proceed, a year after the federal government committed to holding it. Addressing the National Press Club 12 months after the government's response, Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh has unveiled details about the inquiry. More.... |
02 December HIMARS
proves to be shipshapeIt’s not the normal place you would expect to find Army’s high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS), but it turns out the platform has great sea legs. As part of Introduction into Service, the HIMARS was tested during a series of sea trials in Sydney Harbour using the flagship landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra. More.... |
02 December Destination
Unknown: Australia confirms 'no sense' of where PLA-N
warships are headedAustralian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has confirmed that officials have ‘no sense’ of where an approaching Chinese PLA-N task group of warships is headed. “I want to confirm that Defence is monitoring a Chinese PLA-N task group which is currently in the Philippine Sea. But I also want to put this into some context." More.... |
02 December Sewing
the seeds of seamanshipA good sailor requires a vast array of skills to be successful at sea, but chief among them is proving adaptable, agile and versatile no matter what comes their way. Boatswain’s mate Able Seaman Sophie Newlyn seems to have this in spades. But there’s another skill Able Seaman Newlyn proudly boasts that comes in just as handy at sea: sewing. More.... |
01 December Philippines
and France hold maritime drills in ‘strategic location’The Philippines and France staged a joint maritime exercise in the latest effort by both militaries to improve interoperability and maritime domain awareness. Military of both countries said the drills took place in a “strategic location”. The Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) was held from Nov. 26 to 28 in the southern part of eastern Mindanao in the Philippines, “a strategic maritime area for both navies”. More.... |
01 December Facing
Chinese military coercion, Australian defence spending is
insufficientRumours suggest another Chinese naval task group may be heading towards Australia. While such a deployment poses no direct threat, and warships are entitled under international law to operate in international waters, it inevitably recalls the Chinese task group that circumnavigated Australia in February and March. That voyage, while overblown by some, was a deliberate show of maritime coercion in a shifting strategic environment. More.... |
01 December Former
JAGs say Hegseth, others may have committed war crimesA group of former military lawyers issued a memo Saturday condemning Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for allegedly ordering a special operations commander and military personnel to kill everybody aboard an alleged drug-carrying vessel on Sept. 2. The memo from the Former JAGs Working Group came after The Washington Post reported Friday that Adm. Frank M. “Mitch” Bradley, who led Joint Special Operations Command at the time, ordered SEAL Team 6 to fire a second strike after the initial strike left two individuals clinging to the wreckage, in compliance with Hegseth’s directive. More.... |
01 December Product
of Concern Summit for Collins class sustainmentThe Australian Government today convened the third Product of Concern Summit in Canberra, reaffirming its commitment to improving the sustainment performance of Australia’s Collins class submarines. Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP led the summit alongside Minister for Finance, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher, and senior representatives from government and industry. More.... |
01 December Reforming
Defence capability development and deliveryThe Government is taking the next significant step towards ensuring Defence delivers the capabilities, skills and workforce it needs to meet Australia’s strategic circumstances. These reforms will include the establishment of a dedicated agency designed to strengthen and streamline acquisition and sustainment activities. More.... |
01 December Family
ties on board HMAS BallaratFor most people, staying connected with family while deployed means emails, phone calls in port or the odd video chat. However, Exercise Malabar provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Royal Australian Air Force Corporal Evan Smith and his son, Navy's Able Seaman Oscar Smith, an electronic warfare operator on board HMAS Ballarat. More.... |
01 December The
last run of the ArmidalesSailing into Darwin Harbour on a sunny day with smooth seas, the last of the Armidale-class patrol boats – HMA Ships Albany, Bathurst and Childers – made a final group entry into the basin at HMAS Coonawarra. Captain Ross Upton, the patrol boat capability manager representative, was there to meet the three vessels and mark this final milestone. More.... |
01 December Cutting-edge
drone tech expands patrol boat reachThe Royal Australian Navy has marked a significant milestone in maritime innovation with the successful first-of-class trials of the Edge 130 tri-copter drone on HMAS Cape Pillar. Conducted throughout September in Darwin Harbour and surrounding littoral zones, the trials represent a leap forward in the operational capability of minor war vessels. More.... |
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For all news articles prior to 01 December 2025 go to our News Archive page |
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