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30 May 2020	Navy League of Australia(Western Australia Division) May 2020 newsletter is now available to download.....
30 May 2020	Defence chief says ADF retains warfighting focus while supporting bushfire and pandemic responses In late October, the Australian Defence Force carried out a trial to assess its ability to help should a natural disaster strike a state or territory. Thirty men and women, reservists from the three services, were called out to assist with background work on the bushfires that had struck Queensland. More.....
29 May 2020	Upgunning OPVs doesn’t address the issue of securing sea lanes ASPI defence economist Marcus Hellyer has called for the Royal Australian Navy’s new Arafura Class to be ‘upgunned’ by incorporating a suite of anti-ship and anti-submarine capabilities, running the risk of over-complicating the program and mission profile, while leaving the Navy short of critical sea lane protection capabilities. As the Royal Australian Navy prepares for the arrival of the first Arafura and Hunter Class vessels in the early-to-mid 2020s, evolving regional and global dynamics are highlighting the need for a fleet of ocean-going patrol frigates to ease the operational burden on the limited numbers and availability of both the OPV and frigates. More.....
29 May 2020	2020 Warrior Games scrubbed by Marine Corps over COVID-19 concerns Add the 2020 Warrior Games to the list of military events being cancelled over COVID-19 concerns. “As the lead planners for the 2020 Warrior Games, the Marine Corps announced the decision to cancel the Games, citing the paramount concerns for the health and well- being of the 300 U.S. military active-duty and veteran athletes, international military teams, and residents within the greater San Antonio area,” the Corps said in a press release Friday morning. More.....
29 May 2020	Rolls-Royce Seals Propulsion Systems Contract for Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigates Rolls-Royce is to supply complete MTU propulsion systems for five new Type 31 general-purpose frigates for the Royal Navy. In total, the order comprises of 40 engines and generator sets to be used for main propulsion and on-board power generation, the MTU Callosum propulsion control and monitoring system, and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS). Each new frigate will be powered by four MTU 20V 8000 M71 engines, each delivering over 8,000 kW. On-board power will be provided on each vessel by four MTU generator sets based on 16V 2000 M41B units, each delivering in excess of 900 kW. More.....
29 May 2020	German Navy Postpones ‘Hamburg’ Frigate Deployment to Indian Ocean The German Navy (Deutsche Marine) announced the postponement of the long deployment of its F124 Sachsen-class frigate "Hamburg" to the Indian Ocean. Hamburg was set to take part in a missile live-fire exercise off the Norwegian coast and then continue on a five-month training mission with stops in Reunion Island (France) and then all the way to Australia. In addition to maintaining a presence in this strategically important sea area for Germany, the main objective was to cultivate military-political relations. More.....
29 May 2020	Russia’s Pacific fleet to get 15 new vessels in 2020 Fifteen new warships and supply vessels will operate in the Far East by the end of 2020. They include the Gremyashchy corvette of project 20385, the Pertropavlovsk-Kamchatsky diesel-electric submarine of project 636.3, the Yakov Balyaev minesweeper of project 12700, a Raptor-class countersubversion boat of project 03160, the Andrey Stepanov sea tug and two rescue boats of project 23040. The new warships will change the tasks of the Pacific fleet. It previously was the strongest blue-water force. Now it will get a major number of small ships with powerful missiles. The Izvestia daily writes about changing combat capabilities and tasks of the Pacific fleet after 2020. More.....
28 May 2020	Tribute for veterans unable to return to Normandy The guardians of the nation’s war dead have offered to help veterans and families pay their virtual respects to D-Day heroes next month. The pandemic lockdown has ruled out the annual pilgrimage to the Normandy beaches and key sites, as well as the many memorials and cemeteries which pepper towns and villages across the region. More.....
27 May 2020	U.S., Singapore Navies Conduct Joint Exercise in South China Sea The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) and the Republic of Singapore Navy Formidable-class multi-role stealth frigate RSS Steadfast (FFS 70) conducted a bilateral exercise in the South China Sea, May 24-25. The events were an opportunity for Gabrielle Giffords and Steadfast to practice and enhance bilateral interoperability between the two navies, with emphasis on the importance of communications and coordination while sailing together. More.....
26 May 2020	Report to Congress on Chinese Naval Modernization The following is the May 21, 2020 Congressional Research Service Report, China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities—Background and Issues for Congress. In an era of renewed great power competition, China’s military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, has become the top focus of U.S. defense planning and budgeting. China’s navy, which China has been steadily modernizing for more than 25 years, since the early to mid-1990s, has become a formidable military force within China’s near-seas region, and it is conducting a growing number of operations in more-distant waters, including the broader waters of the Western Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and waters around Europe. More.....
26 May 2020	The Italian Job: Italian Navy completes F-35B upgrade of Cavour aircraft carrier The Italian Navy has celebrated a major milestone in the life of its LHD/aircraft carrier hybrid, the Cavour, following a 16-month complex overhaul and modernisation that will allow the vessel to embark the fifth-generation F-35B, conduct complex combat operations, transport marines and conduct humanitarian support and assistance in a single platform package. More.....
26 May 2020	Click here to download the May 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 May 2020	Blue Angels Fly Over USS Harry S. Truman
24 May 2020	*The Fate of HMAS Armidale* (I)**
23 May 2020	VIDEO: USS Portland Fires Laser Weapon, Downs Drone in First At-Sea Test Amphibious ship USS Portland (LPD-27) shot down a drone with a laser weapon during a first-of-its-kind at-sea test of the Navy’s high-energy laser weapon system. The Navy is currently developing and testing a portfolio of laser weapons, some of which are more powerful but only suited for ships with greater power-generation capabilities, like the San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks (LPD-17), while others are less powerful but could be fielded on a greater variety of ships, including the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. More.....
23 May 2020	Scott Morrison weighs in on Teddy Sheean VC denial Prime Minister Scott Morrison has responded to the embattled nephew of Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean, justifying his decision to refuse the war hero a posthumous Victoria Cross. In the letter, the Prime Minister cited the ruling of the 2011-2013 Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal that concluded Teddy Sheean not receive a VC. More.....
23 May 2020	Teddy Sheean statement The following statement can be attributed to a Defence spokesperson – The Victoria Cross is awarded for the most conspicuous gallantry, or a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the face of the enemy. Since the end of the Vietnam War, four Victoria Crosses have been issued to Australian Defence members. During WWII, while Teddy Sheean was serving aboard HMAS Armidale, two honours could be issued posthumously under the Imperial Honours and Awards System; the Victoria Cross and the Mention in Despatches. More.....
23 May 2020	Navy League of Australia(Vic-Tas Div) April-June newsletter is now available to download.....
22 May 2020	Nuclear-armed submarines and US defence strategy: the future of the maritime deterrent Today is an age of acceleration, a time when Moore’s Law is creating profound changes at diminishing intervals, making it difficult to anticipate strategic, social and technological developments. Some organisations facing these cascades of change, however, continue to plan for the Keynesian long term by adopting programs intended to endure for many years. One of those organisations is the US Navy, which sails a steady course, stabilised by personnel and program cycles and equipment lifetimes that unfold over several decades. More.....
22 May 2020	Navy remains committed to Defence Reconciliation Action Plan The Royal Australian Navy has appointed a full-time Navy Indigenous Adviser and Navy Indigenous Champion from the senior leadership team, as part of Navy’s commitment to the Defence Reconciliation Action Plan 2019-2022 (D-RAP). Lieutenant Commander Samuel Sheppard is the newly appointed Navy Indigenous Adviser and will provide cultural advice to Navy’s senior leadership team, Navy Diversity and Inclusion Council, and all commands afloat and ashore. More.....
21 May 2020	Northrop Grumman Builds Very Lightweight Torpedo for U.S. Navy Northrop Grumman has successfully manufactured and tested the first industry-built Very Lightweight Torpedo (VLWT) for the U.S. Navy. The prototype torpedo is based on the Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory’s (PSU-ARL) design that was distributed to defense industrial manufacturers in 2016. More.....
21 May 2020	USS Theodore Roosevelt Returns to Sea USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is underway for the first time since arriving in Guam March 27. The ship left Naval Base Guam and entered the Philippine Sea May 21 to conduct carrier qualification flights for the embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11. More.....
21 May 2020	HMAS Sydney V commissioned at sea
21 May 2020	FROM: CN AUSTRALIA VALE: COMMANDER JAMES HENRY SPEED DSC, RAN (RETD) 1. IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT I INFORM YOU OF THE PASSING OF COMMANDER JAMES (JIM) HENRY SPEED, DSC RAN RETD. HE WAS AWARDED A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS (DSC) FOR HIS COURAGE UNDER FIRE ON SWORD BEACH ON 5/6 JUNE 1944 DURING OPERATION OVERLORD, THE NORMANDY LANDINGS. 2. BORN IN 1924, HE ENTERED THE RN AS A MIDSHIPMAN IN 1942 AND WAS SELECTED FOR TRAINING AS A COMBINED OPERATIONS COMMANDO PREPARING FOR D DAY. 3. AGED JUST 19 HE LED A TEAM WHO MARKED WITH SIGNS THE SAFE PASSAGE WHERE UNDERWATER OBSTACLES HAD BEEN CLEARED BY DIVERS FOR BRITISH LANDING CRAFT. THE LARGE SIGNS HELD ALOFT BY THE COMMANDOS GUIDED LANDING CRAFT COXSWAINS BUT ALSO BECAME OBVIOUS TARGETS FOR GERMAN FIRE. 4. DESPITE THE LOSS OF MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM HE ASSISTED WITH GETTING THE FIRST BRITISH TROOPS ASHORE AND OFF THE BEACH. THIS ACTION WAS REPEATED ALL DAY AND RESULTED IN FURTHER CASUALTIES TO THE BEACH MARKING PARTIES. 5. HE CONTINUED IN THIS ROLE ON SWORD BEACH FOR A FURTHER MONTH COMING UNDER FREQUENT FIRE FROM WELL HIDDEN GERMAN HOWITZERS. 6. HE WAS DEMOBILIZED FROM THE RN IN 1946, BUT REJOINED AS AN ABLE SEAMAN IN 1954. A JUNIOR SAILOR WITH A DSC, AN OFFICERS DECORATION, WAS CONSIDERED ANOMALOUS AND HE WAS SWIFTLY COMMISSIONED AS A SUB LIEUENANT. 7. SUB LIEUTENANT SPEED WAS SENT ON EXCHANGE POSTING TO HMAS COOTAMUNDRA IN 1957. HE MARRIED AND SOUGHT TO TRANSFER TO THE RAN BUT THIS WAS NOT PERMITTED BY THE RN FOR A FURTHER THREE YEARS AFTER HIS RETURN TO THE UK IN 1960. 8. IN 1963 HE LEFT THE RN AND JOINED THE RAN AND SERVED IN A NUMBER OF POSTINGS INCLUDING HMAS TARANGAU ON MANUS ISLAND AND IN HMAS MELBOURNE (II). 9. IN 1982 ON PROMOTION TO ACTING COMMANDER HIS LAST POSTING WAS AS COMMANDING OFFICR OF HMAS LONSDALE, THE NAVY’S DEPOT IN MELBOURNE. HE LEFT THE NAVY IN 1984 AND REMAINED AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE NAVAL OFFICERS CLUB AND WAS A GUEST SPEAKER ON HIS TIME ON SWORD BEACH. 10. ON BEHALF OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY I EXTEND CONDOLENCES TO COMMANDER SPEED’S WIDOW NATALIE AND HIS FAMILY ON THE PASSING OF THIS DECORATED OFFICER WHO GAVE A LIFETIME OF SERVICE TO TWO NAVIES. 11. A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR COMMANDER SPEED WILL BE HELD IN MELBOURNE AT A TIME AND PLACE TO BE ANNOUNCED. Jim's talk about his Wartime service to the Naval Historical Society in 2014 is well worth listening to........ http://navyvic.net/associations/nhs/recordings.html
20 May 2020	Teddy Sheean VC battle rages on with PM in Lambie's sights after honours tribunal rebuke for Defence Minister The head of a tribunal that recommended Tasmanian war hero Edward "Teddy" Sheean receive a posthumous Victoria Cross has accused the Defence Minister of "misrepresenting" the tribunal. Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie also took aim at Prime Minister Scott Morrison over the affair following last week's announcement the Government had decided Australia's highest wartime honour would not be awarded to Sheean. More.....
20 May 2020	Naval Historical Society of Australia (Victorian Chapter) President's May Musings are now available to download.....
19 May 2020	Final Air Warfare Destroyer HMAS Sydney V takes its place in the Royal Australian Navy The Morrison Government’s Air Warfare Destroyer program has officially come to an end with the commissioning of HMAS Sydney at sea. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds, CSC said her commissioning marks a significant milestone in the Morrison Government’s $90 billion Naval Shipbuilding Plan. More.....
18 May 2020	HMAS Parramatta returns home
17 May 2020	Our May Navy Hero is: Captain (Surgeon) Leonard Darby, CBE, MB, Ch.B, RAN Leonard Darby’s name will forever be associated with the most significant event in the fledgling RAN’s early history – the sinking of the German cruiser Emden off the Cocos-Keeling Islands in the Indian Ocean on 9 November 1914. Leonard Darby was born in George Town, Tasmania on 3 January 1889 and attended Church Grammar School, Launceston. He graduated MB BSc from Melbourne University in September 1912. Later in the same month he enlisted in the RAN and was the inaugural appointee to the Naval Hospital at HMAS Cerberus. After a short period of training with the Royal Navy he transferred as the senior surgeon in the new cruiser Sydney (I) on 21 June 1913. He was supported by an assistant surgeon and Sick Berth Steward 1st Class Thomas Edward Mullins who had served in the Royal Navy from 1900 to 1906. Sydney formed part of the escorting force to the 1st AIF troop convoy crossing the Indian Ocean to Egypt in November 1914. On the morning of 9 November, Sydney was detached to investigate an unidentified ship off the Cocos-Keeling Islands. Engagement with, and destruction of, the German cruiser Emden followed, with the death of four members of Sydney’s crew and the wounding of 13. During the ensuing action Darby and his small medical team tended to a stream of battle casualties. Many of the injuries were horrific in nature but in spite of this, and the appalling conditions in which his team found itself working, many lives were saved. The full article can be found at: http://navyvic.net/heroes/darby.html
17 May 2020	Adelaide provides vital training platform for Army CH-47 helicopters HMAS Adelaide has recently provided a platform for Army CH-47 Chinook helicopters from the 5th Aviation Regiment in Townsville to conduct training at sea. The CH-47 helicopters have been conducting Deck Landing Operations that will qualify them to support any future operations that would require heavy lift capability, both day and night, from the Landing Helicopter Docks (LHDs). More.....
16 May 2020	Five Theodore Roosevelt sailors re-test positive for Covid-19 Five sailors from the embattled aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt who had previously tested positive for Covid-19 retested positive this week, officials confirmed Friday. The sailors had previously returned to the ship, which has been sidelined in Guam as leadership works to get the crew free of the novel coronavirus and back to work. More.....
16 May 2020	Spain joins European Patrol Corvette program in which nations can customize ships Spain has officially joined the European Patrol Corvette program to design and develop a prototype of a modular 3,300-ton ship responsible for a number of tasks and missions, including those performed by ocean patrol vessels and light frigates. Spain announced Feb. 8 that it was interested in joining the EPC program, which was made up of France, Italy and Greece. Despite the strict lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic in all four countries, the Spanish shipyard Navantia managed to push its application through. More.....
15 May 2020	21 MH-60R Seahawk Maritime Helicopters on Order for the Indian Navy India becomes the latest country to add the MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopter to its fleet. The U.S. Navy announced a $905 million contract to Lockheed Martin (Sikorsky) for 21 "Romeo" helicopters for the Indian Navy. The official US government contract notice published yesterday is for the production and delivery of three MH-60R Seahawk maritime aircraft for the Navy and 21 MH-60Rs for the government of India. Work is expected to be complete by September 2024. More.....
14 May 2020	World War II hero Teddy Sheean denied Victoria Cross, as decision branded 'slap in the face' for family Tasmanian World War II hero Teddy Sheean will not be awarded a Victoria Cross, with the Federal Government deciding to hold to an earlier decision that his actions "did not reach the particularly high standard" for Australia's highest wartime honour — a decision blasted by Senator Jacqui Lambie as "cowardice". The Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal was reconsidering whether the sailor should receive the honour, something his nephew Garry Ivory had spent 30 years campaigning for. The Defence Minister Linda Reynolds confirmed on Wednesday afternoon the Victoria Cross (VC) will not be awarded. More.....
14 May 2020	Nuclear-armed submarines and the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific by James Goldrick The maritime strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific is changing rapidly. The future of undersea nuclear deterrent forces has strategic, operational and force structure aspects for all major powers in the region. Strategic competition in an increasingly competitive environment has a significant maritime element, which itself is profoundly influenced by the continuing importance—and progressive expansion—of the region’s underwater nuclear deterrent forces. More.....
14 May 2020	Extra support for veterans through key housing and superannuation schemes VETERANS and their families will benefit from changes to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Super and the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme (DHOAS) eligibility criteria, following amendments passed through Parliament today. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester said changes in the Defence Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2020 would allow ADF members transitioning to civilian life to access DHOAS for five years after they leave Defence service, as well as the option to remain members of ADF Super. More.....
14 May 2020	Mayor of Villers-Bretonneux dies after battle with coronavirus Statement — Vale Dr Patrick Simon AO Australia lost a true friend today with the passing of Dr Patrick Simon AO in France. As Mayor of Villers-Bretonneux in Northern France, close to the memorial sites so significant for many Australians, Dr Simon continued the tradition established by former Mayors of Villers-Bretonneux of holding commemorative activities in the town each year to mark Anzac Day. More.....
12 May 2020	Veterans' mental health and wellbeing at forefront of new Government strategy REDUCING the risk of suicide and improving the mental health and wellbeing of Australia’s veterans and their families is at the centre of a new four-year Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and National Action Plan released today. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the Government was committed to putting veterans and their families first and mental health and wellbeing was a key priority, as well as ensuring they have the support they need, when and where they need it. More.....
12 May 2020	Thanking and remembering our nation's military nurses TODAY on International Nurses Day, we recognise and celebrate the important contribution of nurses to the safety and prosperity of our country through times of conflict and in peacetime. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said for as long as Australians have served in combat, from the Boer War to present day, there have been nurses right behind them caring for those in need and saving many lives. More.....
11 May 2020	USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: May 11, 2020 These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of May 11, 2020, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship. More.....
11 May 2020	WWII Battleship USS Nevada Wreck Found
11 May 2020	Research Groups Find Wreck of ‘Unsinkable Battleship’ USS Nevada USS Nevada (BB-36) – dubbed the “unsinkable battleship” that served in two world wars – was found nearly three miles below the water’s surface about 65 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor, a team of researchers announced Monday. On Dec. 7, 1941, Nevada was the only battleship to get underway during the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. After extensive repairs, Nevada returned to service, including firing its 14-inch and 5-inch guns to support the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944. In 1945, Nevada assisted the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. More.....
11 May 2020	CNO Gilday in Quarantine After Exposure to COVID-19 Positive Family Member The US Navy’s top officer will be in quarantine this week after coming into contact with a member of his family who had tested positive for COVID-19, the Pentagon announced late on Sunday. Adm. Mike Gilday initially tested negative for the virus on Friday but will remain in quarantine for at least this week, according to a statement provided to USNI News. More.....
11 May 2020	Iranian Friendly Fire Incident Kills 19, After Frigate Fires Missile At Support Ship At least 19 Iranian sailors are dead after a friendly fire attack in which a frigate accidentally fired a missile at a support ship in the Gulf of Oman, according to media reports. Support vessel Konarak was operating near the southern city of Jask, south of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian frigate Jamaran was conducting a naval exercise nearby and shot a new anti-ship missile at the support ship, killing 19 and injuring more than a dozen more, according to global news reports. More.....
08 May 2020	The future of China’s nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine force China finally achieved an operational underwater nuclear capability in recent years, almost six decades after it first launched its nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) program in the late 1950s. The deployment of the Jin-class (Type 094) SSBNs armed with JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) marks a new stage in the evolution of China’s sea-based nuclear force. According to the Pentagon’s 2018 annual report to Congress on China’s military capabilities, this recent development constitutes ‘China’s first credible sea-based nuclear deterrent’. More.....
08 May 2020	Mother's Day 2020 Shout Outs - Part 1
07 May 2020	Offshore Patrol Vessel construction at Osborne Naval Shipyard
07 May 2020	Navy conducted First of Flight Trials
07 May 2020	Commercial for U.S. Space Force Recruiting The U.S. military’s newest branch just declared itself officially open for business with the release of its first-ever recruiting ad. Unveiled today, the video is a well-produced sizzle of life in a service devoted to pushing everything previously known about our species’ Earth-bound capabilities.
06 May 2020	Statement on the Defence chloroquine trial As part of Defence’s contribution to the Whole-of-Government COVID-19 response, Defence has initiated a voluntary clinical trial of chloroquine as a preventative measure against COVID-19. The trial is seeking up to 700 civilian and Australian Defence Force (ADF) frontline healthcare workers and will examine whether this drug can prevent COVID-19. Chloroquine is only being trialled as a preventative measure, not as a treatment and not as a vaccine. More.....
06 May 2020	First Offshore Patrol Vessel coming together The Morrison Government’s Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) program has reached another milestone with the two halves of the first Arafura Class OPV coming together to form a complete hull. Built by Luerssen Australia and its South Australian partner ASC, it marks the largest industrial manoeuvre at Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia. More.....
06 May 2020	Alliance cooperation continues amidst pandemic and Marine Rotation to proceed This morning I spoke with my colleague and friend, US Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper. We reaffirmed our Alliance is based on shared values and close friendship. As we have done for over 100 years, we band together in times of crisis, just as we are now in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. More.....
06 May 2020	5 things you should know about the US Navy’s new frigate The Navy selected Fincantieri’s FREMM design for its next generation frigate, but as with most new platforms it will be a long time before the first ship hits the fleet. The contract awarded May 30 is for up to 10 hulls constructed at Fincantieri’s Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin. The Navy intends to buy at least 20 frigates. Here’s what we know about what the years ahead will hold. More.....
05 May 2020	SEALs Resume Training Under Extreme COVID-19 Isolation Measures Naval Special Warfare Center is resuming its training of SEAL and special warfare combatant-craft crewmen (SWCC) candidates this week after taking a pause in March to ensure it could keep the coronavirus away from young recruits already putting their bodies through punishingly tough physical training courses. More.....
04 May 2020	Battle of the Coral Sea 04 - 08 May 1942 The USN lost the carrier Lexington, the destroyer Sims, and the supply tanker Neosho. The carrier Yorktown was damaged. The Japanese lost the small carrier Shoho, and the fleet carrier Shokoku suffered damage. HMA ships Australia and Hobart were attacked by both carrier and shore-based aircraft but escaped damage. The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first naval battle in history where opposing fleets were never in visual contact.
04 May 2020	Canadian Forces chopper crashed in full view of multiple witnesses Call sign 'Stalker' — the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter that crashed last week in the Ionian Sea off Greece — was only moments away from a scheduled landing aboard HMCS Fredericton when it went down in full view of horrified shipmates who were preparing to receive it aboard the frigate. "There were eyewitnesses to the accident," said Dan LeBouthillier, head of media relations at the Department of National Defence, in an email. More.....
04 May 2020	Geelong company chosen as supplier to global F-35 fleet A Geelong-based company has been awarded a significant contract with the US Navy under the global F-35 Program cementing Australia’s reputation as a top defence exporter. Chemring Australia, based in Lara, near Geelong, secured the USD$107.5 million contract for the production and delivery of countermeasure flares for Australian, US and international F-35 operators. More.....
04 May 2020	Again?! The price has exploded, again?! Future sub price grows by $10bn It is starting to sound like a bad joke, but unfortunately, it isn’t. Australia’s most-complex defence procurement project ever, the Attack Class submarines, has seen yet another price increase, this time amounting to $10 billion in just a matter of five months, which raises the question – could we have gotten a better deal somewhere else? More.....
02 May 2020	HMAS Parramatta completes South and South East Asia deployment Royal Australian Navy helicopter frigate HMAS Parramatta has returned to Australia after completing a three-month deployment, which included South and South East Asia. In late February and early March, prior to COVID-19 restrictions, HMAS Parramatta visited Phuket, Thailand and Colombo, Sri Lanka. More.....
02 May 2020	Royal Navy joins forces with the US in Arctic for cold-weather training The Royal Navy has joined forces with the US to practise operations in the icy waters of the Arctic. While many Armed Forces personnel remain in the UK supporting the current national fight against COVID-19, the ship’s company of HMS Kent are focused on ensuring we are prepared for future global threats. More.....
02 May 2020	Australian White Ensign flies over HMAS Sydney II Memorial Geraldton by permission of CN The HMAS Sydney Memorial at Geraldton in WA has become a place of pilgrimage for many thousands of visitors each year. Some visitors arrive by sea on cruise ships that come to Geraldton specifically to allow passengers to visit the memorial. Many others come because of the reputation of the memorial as an outstanding example of commemorative art. It was designed by the WA sculptors Charlie and Joan Smith and opened by the then Governor of WA Lieutenant General John Sanderson AC, on 19 Nov 2001. That was on the 60th anniversary of the loss of the RAN’s cruiser in battle with the German raider Kormoran off the coast of WA in 1941. The annual commemoration each November has become a major occasion in the life of Geraldton and attracts relatives of Sydney’s sailors among many others who wish to pay their respects to the 645 members of the ship’s company who died with Sydney. Until April 2020 the flags flown at the memorial permanently did not include the Australian White Ensign. Last month the Chief of Navy was requested by the warden of the memorial Mr Don Ralston for permission for this to be changed and the AWE to fly there with the Australian National Flag, the State Flag of WA and the flag of the City of Geraldton. Chief of Navy gave his permission for the AWE to fly permanently at the entrance to the memorial. It was duly hoisted by Geraldton’s Navy Cadet Unit TS Morrow in the presence of the Warden and the team of Volunteer Guides who are the custodians of the memorial. There will be a major commemorative event at the Memorial on 19 November 2021 on the 80th anniversary of the loss of HMAS Sydney. More information about the memorial can be found at: https://www.hmassydneymemorialgeraldton.com.au/
02 May 2020	Naval News Monthly Recap - April 2020
02 May 2020	RFA Argus links up with French Navy in the Caribbean RFA Argus and French Navy ship FS Dixmude have sailed side by side in the Caribbean Sea as a multinational response to the COVID-19 pandemic assembles in the region. The UK, Netherlands and France have all sent ships to the Caribbean to stand ready to support overseas territories during the COVID-19 pandemic if required. More.....
01 May 2020	Statement on ADF personnel arriving into Darwin from the Middle East Region Defence has proactively tested personnel for COVID-19 in the Middle East Region after being notified that a number of locally engaged contractors had tested positive. Defence can confirm five ADF personnel tested positive to COVID-19. Four ADF personnel returned to Australia this morning at around 6:00am Darwin time on a routine Defence sustainment flight, and have been taken to the Royal Darwin Hospital for initial assessment. More.....
01 May 2020	FlyBy A periodical of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia. May issue.....
01 May 2020	New patrol boats to boost Navy capability The Morrison Government is investing around $350 million for the build program of six new Cape Class Patrol Boats for the Royal Australian Navy. The vessels will be built by Western Australian company Austal, securing Australian shipbuilding jobs and maintaining strong border protection. More.....

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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
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

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