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27 Feb 2019	NVN's February Newsletter - download..... NOTE from Webmaster: If you are a member and haven't been notified that your monthly newsletter is available to download, the email address you supplied on joining is incorrect or out of date. To correct this, contact the webmaster at: and he will copy and amend your address.
27 Feb 2019	Wreck of WWII destroyer USS Strong found off Solomon Islands The wreckage of US Navy’s World War II destroyer USS Strong (DD 467) was discovered by the expedition crew of Paul G. Allen’s research vessel (R/V) Petrel resting 300 meters (nearly 1,000 feet) below the surface of Kula Gulf, north of the island of New Georgia, in the Solomon Islands. The destroyer was found on February 6, 2019. It was sunk on July 5, 1943 by an enemy torpedo thought to be from one of the longest distances ever in wartime. Of the 280 crew, 46 sailors were lost. More.....
27 Feb 2019	The man behind the unmanned helicopter Two Royal Australian Navy Unmanned Arial Systems (UASs) are on display at the 2019 Australian International Airshow at Avalon, Victoria. 822X Squadron, the Navy's Maritime Tactical UAS Squadron, is displaying both the ScanEagle and the S-100 Camcopter at the major aviation event. Able Seaman Aviation Technician Avionics Rik Murtagh is the operator and the maintainer of the S-100 CamCopter. More.....
27 Feb 2019	HMAS Choules completes vist to Papua New Guinea Her Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Choules has departed Papua New Guinea (PNG), having successfully completed a visit to Port Moresby and the Lombrum Naval Base, Her Majesty’s Papua New Guinea Ship (HMPNGS) Tarangau in Manus Province. HMAS Choules delivered equipment and tools, gifted as part of the Defence Cooperation Program, that will be used to support the capability development of Lombrum Naval Base. More.....
27 Feb 2019	India and Pakistan: inching towards war In pre-dawn darkness on Tuesday, 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets of the Indian Air Force, armed with Israeli precision guided munitions, took off from the Gwalior airbase in central India and hit the largest training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist organisation in Balakot deep inside Pakistan. India claims the attack killed about 350 JeM fighters. More.....
27 Feb 2019	Community and Peer Program to help vulnerable Australian veterans Following the success of a two-year Community and Peer Pilot in Townsville, Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling will now roll-out their Community and Peer Program across Australia, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said today. “The Government is putting veterans and their families first and is committed to ensuring that they have access to the mental health support they need,” Mr Chester said. More.....
26 Feb 2019	HMAS Hobart Missile Firing
26 Feb 2019	USS Santa Fe visits Perth after training with four Australian submarines US Navy submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) pulled into Royal Australian Navy base HMAS Stirling on Garden Island after completing training activities with four Australian Collins-class submarines. Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine Santa Fe took part in a joint training exercise with HMAS Collins, HMAS Farncomb, HMAS Dechaineux and HMAS Sheean, in waters around Australia. More.....
26 Feb 2019	Navy surveys the sub-Antarctic sea floor The Laser Airborne Depth Sounder (LADS) Flight is currently deployed to Invercargill in New Zealand to undertake survey operations over Macquarie Island, a 34km long World Heritage listed island that lies approximately halfway between Australia and Antarctica. The aim of the survey is to improve knowledge of potential dangers to ships visiting the island, with a focus on the area surrounding the station itself. More.....
26 Feb 2019	Royal Navy frigate, submarine hone ASW skills off Scotland Royal Navy attack submarine HMS Astute and Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans met up in the tough waters of the Atlantic Ocean recently to work together on their anti-submarine warfare capabilities and conduct personnel transfer training. St Albans’ Merlin helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron – aka the Flying Tigers and normally based at Culdrose in Cornwall – flew between both vessels, winching submariners and sailors while battling wind and rain. More.....
26 Feb 2019	Navy air capability arrives at Avalon for 2019 Airshow The Royal Australian Navy helicopters have arrived at Avalon, Victoria for the 2019 Australian International Airshow (AIA19). With more than 200,000 people expected to attend the Airshow, Navy is showcasing its leading capabilities – the MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’, the Bell 429 Global Ranger and EC135 helicopters plus the ScanEagle and Schiebel Camcopter S-100 unmanned aircraft systems. More.....
25 Feb 2019	Third Royal Navy Dreadnought-class SSBN named HMS Warspite The Royal Navy’s third Dreadnought-class nuclear deterrence submarine will be named HMS Warspite, the Firt Sea Lord announced on February 25. The boat will take her place in the Fleet in the 2030s, alongside HMS Dreadnought, Valiant and a fourth, as yet unnamed, submarine, each carrying Trident nuclear missiles on deterrence patrols for three months at a time. More.....
25 Feb 2019	First proposal for the Royal Navy’s new Littoral Strike Ships unveiled British risk advisory company Prevail Partners has unveiled its proposal for the Royal Navy’s two new littoral strike ships which were announced by the UK defense secretary earlier this month. Prevail say their multi role vessel (MRV) was designed as a mobile logistic and helicopter base, enabling nations to project power and carry out special forces missions. The MRV is also capable of serving as an emergency response platform. More.....
25 Feb 2019	Naval Group, ASC sign Attack-class submarine cooperation agreement Naval Group Australia, the prime contractor for the Australian Attack-class submarine construction, has entered into a framework agreement with ASC for cooperation on the AU$50 billion project. The agreement details the terms and conditions through which Naval Group Australia and the government-owned ASC will collaborate through separate commercial arrangements for the provision of supplies and services to each other. More.....
25 Feb 2019	HMAS Stuart & Scrap Iron Flotilla Association Dear Shipmates, family and friends, A reminder that the Annual Scrap Iron Flotilla Association lunch is scheduled for Friday, 22 March 2019. Cost remains at $35 per person for a three course meal, with drinks at bar prices. Reservations are crucial, so please email us at or ring Chris on 0412 832 148. Download Flyer.....
25 Feb 2019	Anzac Day Villers-Bretonneux, France When it comes to sensitive matters like this which are at the heart of our entire nation, it is vital that the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) conducts full consultations with ex-service organisations and the general public before they make any changes. That's what the public expect, it's what the Prime Minister and the government expect. The Minister for Veterans' Affairs has instructed DVA to conduct a Dawn Service at the Australian National Memorial near Villers-Bretonneux, France on Anzac Day 2019. More.....
25 Feb 2019	Defence Opens E-Communications Platform to Defence Families MINISTER for Defence Personnel Darren Chester today announced Defence has extended the use of the ForceNet e-communication platform to Defence family members to improve communication with families. ForceNet connects registered users within a secure online environment, allowing families to stay up-to-date with the latest information about their member’s unit and other Defence support services. More.....
21 Feb 2019	MV Sycamore trains Generation Next As the new year began, the Royal Australian Navy’s multi-role aviation training vessel MV Sycamore was setting a course for the future, preparing for a big year of training the next generations of officers and sailors. Trainee Helicopter Control Officers and Flight Deck Marshallers, Maritime Warfare Officers undergoing Phase III of their training and Australian Navy Cadets from the Waratah and Taipan Flotillas were all embarked in the training ship as she left Sydney Harbour earlier this year. More.....
20 Feb 2019	Australia’s Collins-class could need more upgrades before Future Submarines arrive The Royal Australian Navy’s fleet of six Collins-class submarines will likely necessitate substantial upgrades to remain in service until the new SEA 1000 submarines start arriving, navy chief Vice Admiral Mike Noonan indicated at an Australian senate hearing. “We’re expecting that we will upgrade at least five, and the work around determining the scope of the upgrade has begun but has not yet been fully decided,” Australian ABC News quoted the Vice Admiral as saying. More.....
20 Feb 2019	Collins Class Submarine Formation
20 Feb2019	Sail Training Ship Young Endeavour
20 Feb 2019	Fleet Fires Up for 2019
20 Feb 2019	Young Endeavour on show at Australian Wooden Boat Festival Almost 2000 people took the opportunity to step on board the Royal Australian Navy operated sail training ship STS Young Endeavour during the MyState Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart. The brigantine sailed from Sydney to Hobart with a returnee crew of 24 young Australians embarked. More.....
20 Feb 2019	Greater recognition for veterans and their families NEW legislation introduced into Federal Parliament will provide better recognition of the unique nature of military service and further acknowledge the service and sacrifice of veterans and their families. The Government’s Australian Veterans’ Recognition (Putting Veterans and their Families First) Bill 2019 will establish an Australian Defence Veterans’ Covenant, and as part of a wider recognition package, a card and lapel pin will be provided to veterans. More.....
20 Feb 2019	New Simulator to Keep Navy Communicators at the Cutting Edge A new simulator at the Defence Force School of Signals Maritime Wing at HMAS Cerberus will ensure Navy’s newest Communications and Information Systems sailors join their first ships fully prepared for the rigours of operating at sea. The learning system simulator was developed by Cirrus Real Time Processing Systems, an Australian owned and operated small to medium enterprise. The successful delivery of this system is a demonstration of the capability within Australia to develop and engineer complex simulation technology to support the ADF. More.....
19 Feb 2019	US destroyer, NATO ships enter Black Sea after Dardanelles Strait transit US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook and ships from NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) entered the Black Sea on February 19. Donald Cook entered the Black Sea after last visiting the region in January 2019, when it visited Batumi, Georgia and conducted an exercise with two Georgian Coast Guard ships. The destroyer is scheduled to stop in Port of Odessa, Ukraine, for a port call. More.....
19 Feb 2019	Lucky eight get submarine experience A group of eight young people with submarine careers in their sights were treated to a close-up encounter with a Collins class submarine at Australia’s largest Navy base recently as part of a national competition run by Defence Force Recruiting. The winners, one from each state and territory, travelled to HMAS Stirling to take part in a submarine immersion program, meeting the women and men with whom they aspire to serve. More.....
18 Feb 2019	Fleet fires up for 2019 Navy’s tempo has increased this month, marking the start of a busy year for the Fleet with more than 20 ships and over 2000 sailors at sea. A Joint Task Group comprised of HMA Ships Canberra, Newcastle and Success departed Fleet Base East yesterday for respective deployments of up to four months. More.....
17 Feb 2019	USS Tulsa Commissioned as Navy's Newest Surface Combatant The littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) was commissioned as the Navy's newest surface combatant in a ceremony in San Francisco Feb. 16. In little more than three years, the ship has progressed from its keel laying in Mobile, Alabama, to its commissioning. More.....
15 Feb 2019	India’s submarine rivalry with China in the second nuclear age There are substantially fewer nuclear weapons today than at the height of the Cold War. Yet the overall risks of nuclear war—by design, accident, rogue launch or system error—have grown in the second nuclear age. That’s because more countries with fragile command-and-control systems possess these deadly weapons. Terrorists want them, and they are vulnerable to human error, system malfunction and cyberattack. More.....
13 Feb 2019	Final Resting Place of USS Hornet CV-8 Located in South Pacific Wreckage of the World War II aircraft carrier USS Hornet rests on the floor of the South Pacific Ocean around the Solomon Islands, 5,400 meters (nearly 17,500 feet) below the surface as discovered last month by the expedition crew of Paul G. Allen’s Research Vessel (R/V) Petrel. Hornet was best known for its part in the fateful Doolittle Raid that was launched in April of 1942, which was the first airborne attack of Japanese homeland targets including Tokyo. More.....
13 Feb 2019	The US shouldn’t go to war with China over Taiwan—and nor should Australia Paul Dibb, in his recent Strategist post, writes that America’s strategic position in Asia would be fatally undermined if it didn’t go to war with China if China attacked Taiwan, and that Australia’s alliance with America would be fatally undermined if we didn’t then go to war with China too. The conclusion he draws is that, in the event of an unprovoked Chinese attack on Taiwan, America should go to war with China, and so should Australia. I think Dibb’s premises are correct, but his conclusion is wrong. More.....
12 Feb 2019	US submarine joining Japan’s large scale “Submarine Competition” An unidentified US Navy Los Angeles-class attack submarine is set to take part in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Submarine Competition (SUBCOMP) exercise in waters south of Japan. The seven-day drill starts February 13. SUBCOMP is designed to evaluate and test Japanese crews across multiple platforms on their ability to conduct various aspects of anti-submarine warfare. More.....
12 Feb 2019	Pacific security bolstered as first Guardian class Patrol Boat commissioned The Papua New Guinea Defence Force celebrated the commissioning of the first Guardian class Patrol Boat, HMPNGS Ted Diro, on Friday 1 February, with the Chief of the Australian Defence Force and the Ship’s Company of HMAS Wollongong in attendance at the ceremony. It is the first of 21 Guardian class Patrol Boats to be gifted to 12 Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste under the Pacific Maritime Security Program, the successor to the original Pacific Patrol Boat Program in which Australia gifted vessels to Pacific Island nations between 1987 and 1997. More.....
12 Feb 2019	Commando Merlins leave for the Arctic Three Commando Merlin left Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton for a three-day journey to Royal Norwegian Air Station Bardufoss. The Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) are doing their annual cold weather training and Arctic flying qualifications. Once they’ve completed the 1,433-mile journey, 845 Naval Air Squadron's aviators will fly hundreds of miles inside the Arctic Circle, proving their ability to operate in one of the world’s harshest environments. More.....
12 Feb 2019	Another busy week in the South China Sea BEIJING — Here’s the latest look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves. More.....
12 Feb 2019	The F-35B won’t solve Australia’s defence dilemmas In a recent Strategist article, Malcolm Davis asked an interesting question: should Australia take a cue from Japan and deploy F-35Bs (the short take-off and vertical landing variant of the joint strike fighter) at sea? The debate is complex. The argument against rests on the significant cost burdens associated with converting the navy’s existing landing helicopter docks to accommodate the F-35Bs or acquiring a new one (although this point has been disputed). More.....
12 Feb 2019	Women inspired to pursue Defence careers THE Australian Government is committed to encouraging young Australian women to pursue their interests in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) both at school and in the workforce. To celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester has launched three videos demonstrating the possibilities on offer at Defence for women who are results-oriented problem solvers. More.....
12 Feb 2019	HMAS Choules Flagship at the Royal Hobart Regatta HMAS Choules spent a busy weekend in Hobart, proudly representing the Royal Australian Navy as the Flag Ship for the Royal Hobart Regatta and opening her gangway to the public. The sold out open day saw around 2000 people explore the amphibious Landing Ship Dock on Saturday. People young and old took the opportunity to explore the ship’s dock and embarked naval flight and take in Army and amphibious displays. More.....
11 Feb 2019	Royal Navy eyeing development of new “littoral strike ships” The Royal Navy could possibly get a fleet of two new “Littoral Strike Ships” for operations close to the shore, UK defense secretary Gavin Williamson announced during a speech at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies on February 11. Research into the feasibility of the new ships will be financed from a Transformation Fund which is designed to bring capabilities to the armed forces “as quickly as possible”. More.....
11 Feb 2019	Strategic Partnering Agreement for the Future Submarine Program
11 Feb 2019	US award for Navy medic It has been a relentless six months in Afghanistan for Leading Seaman Medic Tahnee White, but her efforts while deployed have earned her the admiration of her Coalition peers and an American Joint Service Achievement Medal from US Special Forces. More.....
09 Feb 2019	Navy League of Australia(Western Australia Division) February newsletter is now available to download.....
09 Feb 2019	The Australian Navy Foundation Day Organising Committee presents the 19th Annual “CRESWELL ORATION” Friday 1st March 2019 1200 for 1230 At William Angliss TAFE Institute Restaurant Guest Speaker: REAR ADMIRAL Gregory J. Sammut AM CSC RAN Director General Submarines, CDRE Tim Brown RAN Topic: Future Submarine Program Full details.....
06 Feb 2019	Australia and the Taiwan contingency Of all the credible contingencies facing Australia in the foreseeable future, the most challenging would undoubtedly be our involvement with the US in countering a major Chinese attack on Taiwan. For obvious reasons, our politicians have refused to be drawn into public discussion about such a serious conflict. They prefer instead to resort to the ‘we do not discuss such theoretical contingencies’ as an understandable let-out. More.....
06 Feb 2019	Is this the near future of Australian naval shipbuilding? This is an exciting time for Australian naval shipbuilding. Two patrol vessel programs are underway, the Anzac-class frigate midlife capability assurance program (AMCAP) is completing the first of eight ships, and Hunter-class future frigates are to start construction in 2020, running into the 2030s for nine frigates. The air warfare destroyers are joining the fleet, while in the submarine world both the Collins-class life extension and the Shortfin Barracuda projects are generating a lot of commentary but no construction contracts yet. More.....
06 Feb 2019	Darwin Defenders Commemoration Service Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne Tuesday 19TH February 2019 10:00am (Guests to be seated by 09:45am) Full details.....
06 Feb 2019	Navy League of Australia(Vic-Tas Div) February newsletter is now available to download.....
05 Feb 2019	First World War veterans not forgotten A number of unmarked graves of First World War veterans who died after returning from the war will be commemorated under a two-year pilot program announced today by the Federal Government. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester made the announcement saying the Unmarked Graves of the First World War Program will provide funding to help ex-service organisations, community groups and individuals properly acknowledge veterans’ service at their place of rest. More.....
05 Feb 2019	Sunken Norwegian frigate nearly ready for salvage as all torpedoes detonated All torpedoes from the Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad have been removed and detonated over a course of two days as navy and civilian crews finalize preparations for the lifting of the ship. The country’s defense ministry did not specify exactly how many Sting Ray torpedoes were detonated as that would reveal “an important military capability “of the remaining three Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates. More.....
05 Feb 2019	Limited space but vast opportunities Eight lucky Australians were announced as the winners of Defence’s national competition to experience life as a submariner, offering a great first step toward a career within the Royal Australian Navy and the extraordinary submarine service. The successful entrants – Damon Dawson, 19, Cessnock NSW; Sarah Cox, 18, Darwin NT; Jack Evans, 18, Gold Coast QLD; Katelyn Mayne, 20, Hobart TAS; Tahlia Purdie, 25, Melbourne VIC; Kirkley Whiting, 19, Esperance WA; Noah Edberg, 27, Harrison ACT; and Melvin Wong, 23, Brompton SA - explained in 50 words or less the submariner role they would choose and why. More.....
05 Feb 2019	Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia Debrief Magazine February edition.....
02 Feb 2019	Chief of Navy - 2019 - Key focuses for the year ahead
02 Feb 2019	Royal Australian Navy seizes illegal drug shipments in the Middle East Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat has seized more than 2.1 tonnes of hashish and 345 kilograms of heroin in two boarding operations in the Arabian Sea. The narcotics seizures, worth approximately $105 million* and $103.5 million* respectively, took place on 28 and 29 January 2019 as part of Operation Manitou. More.....
02 Feb 2019	Junior Recruit Reunion 2020 TINGIRA AUSTRALIA members and all former Junior Recruits of HMAS Leeuwin and HMAS Cerberus, are invited to unite for the celebration of the 60th Diamond Jubilee of the Junior Recruit Training Scheme with the 2020 JR Reunion to be held in Perth on the second weekend of July 2020.” Download Flyer.....
01 Feb 2019	Don’t miss the forest for the trees (part 2): critical mass for continuous shipbuilding My previous post looked at the greater value for money Australia will derive from the program of continuous warship design and construction it is commencing compared with the stop–start method of the past. This part examines the concept of critical mass in continuous shipbuilding. More.....
01 Feb 2019	HMAS Patricia Cam remembered Commander Navy Shore Force, Captain Stephen Bowater recently joined Top End Navy members as they paused to commemorate the sinking of HMAS Patricia Cam and the loss of nine lives. Members of HMAS Coonawarra ship’s company, resident units and Darwin-based Armidale Class Patrol Boats (APCB) gathered at the small boats landing as Captain Bowater committed a commemorative wreath to sea. More.....
01 Feb 2019	FlyBy A periodical of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia. February issue.....

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Request for Committal of Ashes to the Sea. Download form.....

Current Repatriation Benefits for Gold Card Veterans -
As of 01 January 2018
This is a list of products that are available on a Doctor's prescription for Gold Card Repatriation Patients. Download the list.....

DVA Mobile Apps

The new Operation Life mobile application is designed to help those at risk deal with suicidal thoughts and is recommended to be used with the support of a clinician.

The High Res (High Resilience) app helps you manage stress, build resilience and optimise performance on the go.

The PTSD Coach Australia app can help you learn about and manage symptoms that commonly occur after trauma.

ON TRACK with the Right Mix mobile app from the Department of Veterans Affairs helps you to keep track of the number and types of drinks you consume; the amount of money it's costing you and lets you know about the impact the alcohol has on your wellbeing and fitness levels.

Guide to the assessment of rates of veterans’ pensions
Guide to the assessment of rates of veterans’ pensions (GARP) is used to assess the extent of incapacity from war caused or defence caused injury or disease for the purposes of determining the rate of pension. Download.....

Planning ahead kit
Overview: Planning Ahead is a publication designed to help veterans and their families prepare for bereavement. There is also a checklist that can be used to record the contact details of important people, businesses and organisations that may need to be notified in case of your death. Download.....

DVA Concessions Fact Sheets
Factsheet CON01 - Concessions in NSW
Factsheet CON02 - Concessions in Vic
Factsheet CON03 - Concessions in QLD
Factsheet CON04 - Concessions in SA
Factsheet CON05 - Concessions in WA
Factsheet CON06 - Concessions in Tas
Factsheet CON07 - Concessions in NT
Factsheet CON08 - Concessions in ACT

War Service

Check your ship's eligibility for war service.....

News & Articles of Interest

DVA Information of Interest

DVA
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