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30 Jun 2020	To our Reserve Forces - Australia says thank you TOMORROW the nation marks Reserve Forces Day, and all Australians are encouraged to recognise the vital role of our Navy, Army and Air Force Reservists in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester said it is important to acknowledge and thank all who have served, and continue to serve, as part of the Australian Defence Force Reserves. More.....
30 Jun 2020	The five-domains update Sea state The UK National Audit Office has revealed that the Royal Navy may not be able to form carrier groups with its two new aircraft carriers. After spending nearly $8 billion on the two vessels, the UK is now faced with the difficulty of freeing up enough new funds to afford the aircraft, escorts and support ships required for the ships’ operations. The navy’s plans to build three new support vessels have been jettisoned, and no back-up plan is in place for 2028 when the current support ship is due to be retired. More.....
30 Jun 2020	Nation's largest ever investment in cyber security The Federal Government will make the nation’s largest ever investment in cyber security, with $1.35 billion over the next decade to enhance the cyber security capabilities and assistance provided to Australians through the Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Cyber Security Centre. This significant investment, known as the Cyber Enhanced Situational Awareness and Response (CESAR) package, will mean that we can identify more cyber threats, disrupt more foreign cybercriminals, build more partnerships with industry and government and protect more Australians. More.....
30 Jun 2020	Australia needs to ensure it has the advanced missiles it needs The pandemic has many lessons for how Australia’s future economy must operate, with opportunities to build new wealth around the global supply chains that originate with us—in natural resources, energy, food, research and education, for example. But these opportunities are accompanied by some nasty risks that the pandemic has revealed with how Australia manages crises—medical and health crises, but also military ones. More.....
29 Jun 2020	Trained ADF medical personnel support Victorian Government with COVID-19 testing
29 Jun 2020	HMAS Toowoomba returns home from on deployment
28 Jun 2020	Navy reflects on 75th anniversary of loss of HMAS Lolita The World War Two Channel Patrol Boat HMAS Lolita has been remembered at a service held on the 75th anniversary of her loss. A memorial plaque dedicated to the Sydney-based motor cruiser was unveiled at the Royal Australian Navy Memorial at Bradleys Head, Mosman on Saturday 13 June. More.....
28 Jun 2020	HMAS Sydney V - Happy Birthday Mrs Seymour The Captain of HMAS Sydney V couldn't be there for his wife's birthday, so here is a 10 gun salute instead. Happy birthday Mrs Seymour! Here's some footage from our successful Anti-Air assurance test firing.
27 Jun 2020	Navy frigate returns home after successful operation in the Middle East Region Royal Australian Navy helicopter frigate HMAS Toowoomba has returned to Australia, following a successful six-month deployment on Operation MANITOU. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC, praised the Ship’s Company, who conducted maritime security operations in the Straits of Hormuz with the International Maritime Security Construct. More.....
27 Jun 2020	Click here to download the June edition of "BROADSIDE"..... NOTE from Webmaster: If you are a member and haven't been notified that your monthly copy of 'BROADSIDE' 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.
26 Jun 2020	Royal New Zealand Navy’s New Fleet Tanker Aotearoa Sails Into Auckland Harbor Royal New Zealand Navy's new fleet tanker and replenishment ship Aotearoa sailed into Auckland Harbor today following her 15 day journey from Ulsan, South Korea. Aotearoa is a new Polar-class support vessel built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd, as part of the Maritime Sustainment Capability (MSC) project. More.....
26 Jun 2020	Dodging COVID-19, Navy ships break record for staying at sea The two U.S. warships in the Middle East weren’t aiming to break a record. But when the coronavirus made ship stops in foreign countries too risky, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser San Jacinto were ordered to keep moving and avoid all port visits. On Thursday, as they steamed through the North Arabian Sea, they notched their 161st consecutive day at sea.
26 Jun 2020	Will the India–China border conflict lead to a naval war? The recent developments in Ladakh on the disputed border between India and China were shocking and tragic. The clash in Galwan Valley last week has opened up a deep fissure in India–China ties, spawning tensions that could even escalate into an all-out-war. The latest reports suggest the Indian armed forces have begun a rapid mobilisation and the Chinese military has been shoring up its positions, even as political efforts are on to defuse the crisis. More.....
26 Jun 2020	Better access to essential cyber security information From today, all Australians will have faster and easier access to essential cyber security information to help protect against online threats, following the launch of the enhanced cyber.gov.au website. The Australian Cyber Security Centre’s revised cyber.gov.au website provides expert cyber security advice and assistance to Australians and their families, small and medium businesses, large organisations and critical infrastructure providers, and Government, through a single digital portal. More.....
26 Jun 2020	Funding boost for veteran care Veterans’ health and financial wellbeing has been given a boost with the Government announcing an additional $17.3 million to support two pilot programs for a further 12 months and increased claims processing capacity at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the Government is committed to putting veterans and their families first, and this additional funding will continue to support their health needs. More.....
26 Jun 2020	Look out for your mates – support available for veteran mental health TOMORROW is PTSD Awareness Day and Australians are urged to look out for their mates who may be experiencing poor mental health and encourage them to seek support and treatment as early as possible. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said while service in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is an overwhelmingly positive experience for most, the unique nature of military service can have an impact on the mental health of our current and former ADF personnel and their families. More.....
26 Jun 2020	Warramunga gets new mast as part of AMCAP upgrade program HMAS Warramunga has passed a significant milestone in its Anzac Class Midlife Capability Assurance Program at Henderson Shipyard, Western Australia, with the installation of a new mast. The upgrade program, known as AMCAP and being implemented by the Warship Asset Management Agreement (WAMA) Alliance, is now onto its third Anzac Class Frigate after HMA Ships Arunta and Anzac completed the upgrade in 2019 and 2020 respectively. More.....
25 Jun 2020	Supporting the Tasmanian ex-service community Veterans and their families in Tasmania will be able to have their say in how to access support with the Federal and Tasmanian governments jointly investing $120,000 to undertake a feasibility study to look at an integrated, nationally connected service for the state. Federal Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester and Tasmanian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Guy Barnett today announced the joint initiative, which will see the veteran community in Tasmania consulted and asked about how they can be better supported across the state. More.....
25 Jun 2020	Navy Outplacement Program with CEA Technologies
24 Jun 2020	70 years since the start of the Korean War Tomorrow we acknowledge the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War and recognise the service and sacrifice of more than 17,000 Australians who fought as part of the United Nations (UN) multinational force defending South Korea from a North Korean invasion. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the Australian Navy, Army and Air Force personnel who served in the Korean War won international respect for their courage, endurance and combat skills. More.....
23 Jun 2020	US Navy announces intent to ink $10B in contracts for first 2 Columbia subs The U.S. Navy is poised to ink almost $10.4 billion in contracts with General Dynamics Electric Boat to procure the first two Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, which carry more than a dozen nuclear missiles on constant deterrent patrols. The announcement, released by the Defense Department Monday afternoon, detailed an award of $869 million to Electric Boat to complete design work on the subs as part of a contract modification. The announcement also establishes the Navy’s intent to award an additional $9.5 billion for the first two hulls, which will happen once Congress officially approves the two-ship buy and appropriates the money. More.....
23 Jun 2020	Quay development as big-ship jetty opens for Royal Navy ships in Bahrain Major Royal Navy vessels can now berth at the UK’s base in Bahrain after waterfront facilities were revamped. Shallower draft ships such as Hunt and Sandown-class minehunters have been using the quayside at the UK Naval Support Facility in Bahrain since it opened two years ago – allowing them much easier access to engineering support and fresh supplies. More.....
22 Jun 2020	Upgraded Phalanx Close-in Weapon System enters service The Royal Australian Navy’s latest upgrade of the Mark 15 Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) has reached a major milestone by achieving Initial Operating Capability. Delivered on schedule, the upgraded capability is being progressively rolled out until late 2023 across Navy’s Destroyers, Amphibious Ships and new Supply Class Tankers. More.....
21 Jun 2020	The Pentagon wants to forge ahead with robot warships, but Congress wants to slow the train Unmanned surface vessels are all the rage in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the U.S. Navy has lined up behind the effort. But Congress remains skeptical until it sees the Navy make progress on the basics. In the latest sign of congressional ambivalence on unmanned surface warships, the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee called for restricting funding for procurement of any large unmanned surface vessels, or LUSV, until the Navy can certify it has worked out an appropriate hull and mechanical and electrical system, and that it can operate autonomously for 30 consecutive days. More.....
21 Jun 2020	Cerberus bleeds for National Blood Donor Week Every day across Australia someone, somewhere, needs the vital gift of blood. During National Blood Donor Week (14-20 June), Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is celebrating everyone who has helped to make the gift of blood possible in Australia. In the last 12 months, over half a million Australians have donated more than 1.5 million times, including 6623 donations that can be attributed to Navy personnel. More.....
19 Jun 2020	China Commissioned its Ninth Type 056 Corvette So Far in 2020 On June 17, 2020, a commissioning ceremony was held for the new corvette Type 056A "Jingdezhen" at the PLAN Naval Base in Xiamen (Fujiang Province). In total, nine Type 056 corvettes have joined the People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) since the beginning of 2020. The “Jingdezhen” (617) was admitted to active service in the PLAN East Sea Fleet and assigned to the 16th fleet based in Xiamen. More.....
19 Jun 2020	USS Theodore Roosevelt Command Investigation Results Released Today, with the full concurrence of the Secretary of the Navy, Kenneth J. Braithwaite, the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Mike Gilday, announced the results of the command investigation into the events surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Following a thorough review, Adm. Gilday determined that the promotion of Rear Adm. Stuart Baker for a second star has been delayed pending further examination. Additionally, Capt. Brett Crozier will not be re-instated as the USS Theodore Roosevelt’s commanding officer. More.....
19 Jun 2020	Royal Navy continues trials of heavy-lift drone The Royal Navy’s experts in getting new technology to the frontline quickly are trialling the use of heavy-lift drones for future use on warships. NavyX and DARE (Discover, Analysis and Rapid Exploitation) have been working with UK drone firm Malloy Aeronautics and Planck Aerosystems in the development of the unmanned air vehicles for the purpose of moving supplies onto ships. More.....
19 Jun 2020	Navy’s Indigenous Advisors drive change The Royal Australian Navy has a long connection with Australia’s proud Indigenous heritage through Navy’s people and operations. Indigenous sailors have served in the Royal Australian Navy since its formation and in the Navies of pre-federation Australia. In 1909, the Indigenous names Parramatta, Yarra and Warrego were selected for the first three River Class torpedo boat destroyers built for the fledgling Australian Navy. More.....
19 Jun 2020	Strengthening Defence intelligence Defence is bringing together its intelligence capabilities under a new Defence Intelligence Group (DIG) to ensure the organisation is best positioned to support Australian Defence Force (ADF) operations and take advantage of emerging capabilities. The new Group will include the Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO), Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO), and critical intelligence components from across the ADF as well as the broader Department. More.....
19 Jun 2020	Census night 2021 will count our veterans The Federal Government welcomes the announcement of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that the next Census will be held on 10 August 2021 and final confirmation that it will include a question about service in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the Census will provide a better understanding of how many veterans we have and where they live, allowing us to deliver the right services in the right areas to support their needs. More.....
19 Jun 2020	HMAS Toowoomba concludes a successful mission in the Middle East region
17 Jun 2020	Seven ships sail as Fleet gets back to training Seven warships sailed in the past week from Navy’s Fleet Base East and Fleet Base West to undertake a range of training activities to test newly upgraded systems and exercise as part of a Maritime Task Group. HMA Ships Canberra, Hobart and Stuart departed Fleet Base East in Sydney, while HMA Ships Anzac, Arunta, Ballarat and Sirius sailed from Fleet Base West in Western Australia. More.....
17 Jun 2020	Naval Historical Society of Australia (Victorian Chapter) President's June Musings are now available to download.....
17 Jun 2020	2020 Maritime Art Awards and Exhibition Theme: The Relationship of Humanity to the Sea The Mission to Seafarers invites you to participate in the 2020 Maritime Art Awards and Exhibition. It is an international competition that has been hosted at the heritage-listed Mission building in Melbourne’s Docklands for eighteen years. If you are a budding or accomplished artist, here’s your chance to exhibit your work and potentially win prize money in the Mission to Seafarers’ annual maritime art exhibition. Press release.....
16 Jun 2020	Navy’s global engineering credibility set to soar Navy’s global credibility is set to thrive with the skills and knowledge of more engineering personnel to be acknowledged internationally. In an exciting new agreement with Engineers Australia - one of the nation’s top professional engineering institutes - Royal Australian Navy Senior Technical Sailors and Engineers can now receive global accreditation. More.....
16 Jun 2020	Cairns defence industry floats the boat HMAS Armidale has undocked in Cairns after undergoing a major servicing and restoration project, which invested more than $5 million into the local economy. Local Cairns businesses played an essential role in delivering this key project for the Royal Australian Navy. Minister for Defence Industry, Melissa Price said this is the first of several major maintenance projects coming up over the next two years. More.....
15 Jun 2020	Australia must take the threat to the Manus Island naval base project seriously The Australian government must take very seriously the threat to the Manus Island joint naval base project outlined recently by a senior minister in Papua New Guinea’s government. The fact that the man concerned—Foreign Minister Patrick Pruaitch—has since been suspended from office does not in any way lessen the urgency the Australian government must give to ensuring the signature project under its ‘Pacific step-up’ proceeds. More.....
14 Jun 2020	Australia’s communities preserving our military history Community groups and organisations across the country that are committed to preserving Australia’s wartime heritage as well as involving the community in projects and activities that commemorate our service personnel will share in more than $2.2 million in funding through the Saluting Their Service commemorative grants program. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said this funding will help community groups and local organisations remember the service and sacrifice of our service men and women and support the community to participate in these commemorations. More.....
14 Jun 2020	USS Fitzgerald En Route to San Diego The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) departed Huntington Ingalls Industries, Ingalls Shipbuilding division’s Pascagoula shipyard June 13 to return to her homeport in San Diego. The sail away reflects more than two years’ worth of effort in restoring and modernizing one of the Navy’s most capable warships after it was damaged during a collision in 2017 that claimed the lives of seven Sailors. More.....
12 Jun 2020	Russian Navy Commissions its first Borei-A-class SSBN ‘Prince Vladimir’ The first Borei-A-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) officially joined the Russian Navy today (June 12). JSC Sevmash Shipyard held a ceremony led by the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy - Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov. During the ceremony, the General Director of Sevmash Mikhail Budnichenko noted that the nuclear-powered submarine Prince Vladimir (Knyaz Vladimir) became the 133th ship built by the shipyard for the Russian Navy. More.....
12 Jun 2020	US naval buildup in Indo-Pacific seen as warning to China For the first time in nearly three years, three American aircraft carriers are patrolling the Indo-Pacific waters, a massive show of naval force in a region roiled by spiking tensions between the U.S. and China and a sign that the Navy has bounced back from the worst days of the coronavirus outbreak. The unusual simultaneous appearance of the three warships, accompanied by Navy cruisers, destroyers, fighter jets and other aircraft, comes as the U.S. escalates criticism of Beijing’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, its moves to impose greater control over Hong Kong and its campaign to militarize human-made islands in the South China Sea. More.....
12 Jun 2020	Royal New Zealand Navy takes delivery of new tanker South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has delivered HMNZS Aotearoa, a new Polar-class logistics support vessel, to the Royal New Zealand Navy. The delivery ceremony for the newbuild was held in Ulsan on 8 June, after the ship completed a series of sea trials. On 10 June, the HMNZS Aotearoa departed South Korea, bound for New Zealand, despite challenges and uncertainties caused by the coronavirus. More.....
12 Jun 2020	Russia, NATO conduct parallel wargames over Baltic Sea Russian combat jets have flown training missions over the Baltic Sea in parallel with NATO’s drills in the region, the military said Thursday. Russia’s Baltic Fleet said in a statement that a dozen of its Su-24, Su-27 and Su-30 aircraft practiced strikes Thursday against marine targets in the Baltic Sea. More.....
11 Jun 2020	Royal Navy’s Caribbean task group assembles ahead of hurricane season The Royal Navy’s task group in the Caribbean has come together once more as hurricane season preparations continue in earnest. RFA Argus and HMS Medway are in the region to support British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean during hurricane season and to carry out counter-narcotics operations. More.....
11 Jun 2020	Royal Navy’s oldest front-line warship celebrates 39th birthday Britain’s oldest front-line warship clocks up her 39th birthday today – on operations in the Gulf. And while she’s old outwardly, her construction of Glass Reinforced Plastic means that the machinery and technology packed within her 60-metre-long hull can – and has been – constantly renewed and refreshed so that her 50 crew can keep on top of the latest mine threats. More.....
11 Jun 2020	Australia’s navy needs operations research to navigate the future by Tim Barrett and Arthur H. Barber Australia is at a watershed moment in naval capability with the fleet’s regeneration over the next decade as a consequence of the 2016 defence white paper and the investment decisions flowing from it. As the 2015 First Principles Review of Defence noted, capability must reflect strategic policy: the Royal Australian Navy needs a fleet that’s integrated into the doctrine and structure of the joint force and is interoperable with the forces of our key allies. More.....
11 Jun 2020	Navy, Army and Air Force Push-up Challenge to raise awareness for mental health
10 Jun 2020	Family support enables deployment Mother of two from Beenleigh in Brisbane, Royal Australian Navy officer Lieutenant Kristy Bates is embracing the experience of leadership and communications on operations in Egypt. Lieutenant Bates is deployed to the Sinai on Operation MAZURKA as part of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO). More.....
09 Jun 2020	Frigate upgrade program rolls on HMAS Anzac has joined HMAS Arunta as the second Anzac Class Frigate to undergo the Anzac Midlife Capability Assurance Program upgrade. Anzac recently sailed to her homeport of Fleet Base West, Garden Island, Western Australia, where she was joined by her sister ship Arunta who completed the program, known as AMCAP, in 2019. More.....
08 Jun 2020	Philippines Freezes Pull-Out From Visiting U.S. Forces Agreement The Philippine government is putting the brakes on its plan to end a critical aspect of its Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S., but experts say it is too soon to tell whether this decision signals a warming relationship between the two allies. On June 1, the government of the Philippines notified the U.S. Embassy in Manila that it froze a February decision to withdraw from the Philippines-United States Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). More.....
08 Jun 2020	Two dozen Navy personnel on the Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List On the Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List, 24 Navy personnel have joined the long number of other servicemen and women who have been appointed to the Order of Australia or Conspicuous Service awards. The Order of Australia recognises recipients for achievement or meritorious service, with particular reference to their community contribution to Australia globally or domestically. More.....
05 Jun 2020	Warships mass in the Baltic Sea for a coronavirus-conscious battle drill Navies from 19 NATO members and partners are slated to kick off the 2020 iteration of the “Baltic Operations” exercise on Friday, which this year excludes any amphibious drills to avoid the risk of spreading the coronavirus between ships and land. Hosted by the U.S. Navy’s 6th Fleet, the ten-day exercise features live training events related to air defense, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction and mine countermeasure operations, the German navy wrote in a statement. More.....
05 Jun 2020	PODCAST: Policy, Guns and Money: Offshore patrol vessels, India–China standoff and Europe’s Covid-19 response In this episode, ASPI’s Malcolm Davis and Marcus Hellyer bring you an update on maritime and space issues, including discussion of Marcus’s report on the possibilities for Australia’s new offshore patrol vessels, SpaceX launches and Defence Science and Technology’s ‘Strategy 2030’. Play.....
05 Jun 2020	Australian made steel for Australian frigates The Government’s Hunter Class Frigate Program continues to deliver opportunities for Australian workers with the signing of a steel contract worth around $2.5 million. Australian company BlueScope Steel AIS has signed a contract with ASC Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of BAE Systems Australia, to deliver more than 1500 tonnes of steel plate which will be used to construct five ship blocks in the prototyping phase of the program. More.....
04 Jun 2020	USS Theodore Roosevelt Departs Guam Mission Ready USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) departed Apra Harbor to continue its scheduled deployment in the Indo-Pacific, June 4. The ship left Naval Base Guam and entered the Philippine Sea manned and ready to provide maritime security, maintain freedom of the seas in accordance with international law and customs, and operate with international partners and allies to promote regional stability and prosperity. More.....
04 Jun 2020	Nuclear-armed submarines and strategic stability in the Indo-Pacific No other weapon system embodies the menacing, but also out-of-sight, presence of nuclear weapons better than the stealthy nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) that have, for six decades, ceaselessly prowled the world’s cold ocean depths, waiting for an order that has never come. SSBNs on continuous at-sea deterrence missions remain the mainstay of the nuclear forces in the United States and France, and the sole platform carrying British nuclear weapons. Despite Russia’s significant investment in road-mobile missiles, SSBNs also remain an important element of its nuclear forces. More.....
04 Jun 2020	Sod turning signals start for new submarine escape and rescue capability Work has begun on a new purpose built facility at Henderson in Western Australia which will house the Royal Australian Navy’s Submarine Rescue System. The capability is a key part of the Liberal National Government’s new sovereign air transportable Submarine Rescue Service, which will support the men and women serving in Navy submarines. More.....
03 Jun 2020	In This Together: National Reconciliation Week 2020
03 Jun 2020	RAN treats Australia’s surface fleet with anti-microbial shield Defence is poised to enter into a standing agreement with an Australian anti-microbial treatment specialist, in the wake of the continued COVID-19 outbreak. Protection Brands has entered into a standing offer with the Department of Defence to provide sanitisation and surface treatment services to the Royal Australian Navy. More.....
03 Jun 2020	Australia’s navy Australia can acquire extra maritime capability quickly and affordably while promoting local industry and the government’s continuous naval shipbuilding plan. My new ASPI report, From concentrated vulnerability to distributed lethality—or how to get more maritime bang for the buck with our offshore patrol vessels, released today, sets out how to deliver substantial new maritime capability in the next few years and introduce a transformative force structure for the price of one or two traditional large multi-role ships. More.....
02 Jun 2020	ASC and partners to pioneer additive manufacturing for submarines Australia’s dedicated submarine sustainment organisation, ASC, is collaborating with Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and DMTC Limited, to pioneer the use of additive manufacturing for the repair of Collins Class submarines. The partners have joined forces to further develop ‘cold spray’ technology for repairing damaged metal surfaces, to enable the future in situ repair of submarine components. More.....
02 Jun 2020	Russian Navy welcomes ballistic missile submarine Knyaz Vladimir The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Nikolai Evmenov, has signed the acceptance certificate for the newest Borei-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) Knyaz Vladimir. The acceptance certificate was signed following the successful completion of all stages of the submarine’s testing and confirms its readiness for transfer to the navy. More.....
02 Jun 2020	All aboard the Sea Train! Imagine the following scenario. Four medium-sized U.S. Navy vessels depart from a port along the United States’ coast. There’s no crew aboard any of them. About 15 nautical miles off the coast, the four vessels rendezvous, autonomously arranging themselves in a line. Using custom mechanisms, they attach to each other to form a train, except they’re in the water and there’s no railroad to guide them. In this configuration the vessels travel 6,500 nautical miles across the open ocean to Southeast Asia. But as they approach their destination, they disconnect, splitting up as each unmanned ship goes its own way to conduct independent operations, such as collecting data with a variety of onboard sensors. More.....
02 Jun 2020	Taiwan’s Coast Guard Launches and Christens its Largest Vessel to Date Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) held a ship launching and christening ceremony today, at the Taiwan Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC). The 4,000-ton patrol ship "Chiayi" (CG-5001) is the largest vessel ever launched for Taiwan's CGA. President Tsai Ing-wen, together with Chairman Li Zhongwei of the Marine Commission, Director Chen Guoen of the Coast Guard and Chairman Cheng Wen-lung of the Taiwan Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC), presided the naming and launching ceremony of the 4,000-ton patrol ship at the Kaohsiung plant of the Taiwan Shipbuilding Corporation on June 2, 2020. More.....
02 Jun 2020	Boost to local communities supporting veterans’ health and wellbeing Veterans and their families from across Australia will benefit from projects funded under the Veteran and Community Grants (V&CG) program aimed at ensuring their health and wellbeing. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester announced that more than $480,000 will be provided to fund activities and services within local communities to help maintain the mental and physical health of our veterans and their families. More.....
02 Jun 2020	More Marines Arrive in Australia After COVID-19 Screening Marines are on the move this week, with the latest contingent arriving in Australia for the resumption this summer of the rotational forces to Darwin and the command element of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit taking the helm of a Middle East-based response force. About 200 Marines landed at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin in recent days to join Marine Response Force-Darwin, which after mandatory 14-day quarantines “will grow to 1,200 personnel over the next eight weeks and will train through to September,” the Australian Defense Force said in an announcement. More.....
02 Jun 2020	China’s Aircraft Carrier 'Shandong' Conducting Sea Trials in Yellow Sea
01 Jun 2020	More than $1 million in mental health support for younger veterans Support for the mental health needs of younger veterans has today received a boost with more than $1 million in grants or eight projects which will be delivered by ex-service organisations (ESOs) and other veteran community organisations. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the latest round of the Supporting Younger Veterans grants has provided funding to projects that support the development of well-researched and tailored services and programs for younger veterans who may be at risk of experiencing poor mental health. More.....
01 Jun 2020	China’s Newest Aircraft Carrier Now Conducting Sea Trials China’s newest aircraft carrier, Type 001A Shandong (Hull 17), is conducting sea trials at a time Beijing’s military leadership criticizes the pace and scope of U.S. Navy operations in the region. Shandong departed the Dalian Shipyard on May 25 to test the ship’s weapons and equipment, to train crew members and enhance the carrier’s ability to conduct missions, Senior Col. Ren Guoqiang, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of National Defense, confirmed on Friday during a media briefing. More.....
01 Jun 2020	Brave sailor’s grave marked after more than 70 years MORE than seven decades after he died, a sailor finally has a gravestone befitting his gallantry. Historians have ensured George Niven is no longer forgotten by marking his resting place in a Birmingham cemetery. In July 1929, the then 32-year-old was serving aboard brand-new heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire. More.....
01 Jun 2020	Cerberus continues to graduate the next generation The Royal Australian Navy Recruit Training School recently farewelled 137 graduates from General Entry Intake 380 Shipp Division, after 11 weeks of initial entry training, at HMAS Cerberus in Victoria. The graduating class of 101 men and 36 women will now commence their category training either at HMAS Cerberus or at one of the many Defence training facilities throughout Australia. More.....
01 Jun 2020	FlyBy A periodical of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia. June issue.....

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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
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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
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