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30 Apr 2020	The Royal Australian Navy needs a support ship, not a fixed base at Manus Island Commentary on equipping the Australian Defence Force tends to focus on high-end combat capabilities such as frigates, fighter aircraft and armoured vehicles. Much less is written about the assets and infrastructure that support those capabilities. When the supporting infrastructure is mentioned, it’s often from the point of view of parochial interests, such as the ongoing debate about whether the full-cycle dockings of Collins-class submarines should be conducted in South Australia or Western Australia. More.....
30 Apr 2020	Royal Navy trials underwater gliders that can aid submarine hunters Underwater gliders that can rapidly send vital information that could give an extra edge to the Royal Navy’s submarine hunting operations are being rigorously trialled in the North Atlantic. One of the Slocum Gliders is right now being tested to the limit as it hoovers up information about the seas west of Scotland during a five-month deployment. More.....
30 Apr 2020	Pacific Fleet to Host Rim of the Pacific Exercise in August The United States Navy will sponsor the 27th Rim of the Pacific exercise, Aug. 17-31. Hosted by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, this biennial maritime exercise will be an at-sea-only event in light of COVID-19 concerns. The theme of RIMPAC 2020 is “Capable, Adaptive, Partners.” More.....
30 Apr 2020	1 dead, 5 missing in Canadian military helicopter crash during NATO operations near Greece One Canadian military member is dead and five others are missing after a helicopter serving with a NATO naval task force crashed in international waters between Greece and Italy on Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed today. Four Royal Canadian Air Force members and two Royal Canadian Navy members were on board at the time. More.....
28 Apr 2020	Click here to download the April 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your monthly copy of 'BROADSIDE' is available to download, the email address you supplied on joining is incorrect or out of date.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.
28 Apr 2020	Has the cost of Australia’s future submarines gone up? Part 2 In the first part of this series, we saw that by late 2015, before the Defence Department had received industry responses in the competitive evaluation process for selecting the designer and builder of the future submarines, its cost estimate for the program was $50 billion ‘outturned’. More.....
27 Apr 2020	Young Endeavour voyages suspended until October 2020 Due to the restrictions in place to slow the spread of coronavirus, the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme (YEYS) has suspended all voyages until October 2020. Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester said while it is disappointing, the health and well-being of those who take part in the program is a priority and this step is being taken to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus. More.....
27 Apr 2020	Working in the cold: Australia and China in the Antarctic In 2013, the Tasmanian government signed a memorandum of understanding with China’s State Oceanic Administration to provide support services for Chinese Antarctic expeditions. Under the agreement, Chinese vessels were given access to Hobart’s port and provided with technical and regulatory assistance support. The Australian government and China signed a memorandum of understanding on Antarctic collaboration in 2014. More.....
27 Apr 2020	Our April Naval Hero is: Warrant Officer Agnes Lenore ‘Lennie’ Maiden Warrant Officer Maiden was born at Taree on the North Coast of NSW and was educated at Wingham, Port Macquarie and Wauchope before she joined the Women's Royal Australian Navy Service (WRANS) in 1956, specialising as a steward and then working as a trainer at Recruit School. She served in HMA Ships Cerberus, Coonawarra, Penguin, Harman and Albatross. In 1971 she received her Long Service & Good Conduct Medal and in 1977 she was awarded the Queen's Silver Jubilee medal. In 1972 ‘Lennie’ was the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer in the Royal Australian Navy. As a Warrant Officer, Lennie was the first member of the WRANS to be addressed as "Miss" Her full story is at: http://navyvic.net/heroes/maiden.html
25 Apr 2020	27 Fully Loaded Tankers Parked off L.A. with No Place to Put Their Oil More than two dozen oil tankers are parked just off the California coast, holding the equivalent of 20 percent of the global daily oil consumption, with nowhere to go. As of Thursday afternoon, 27 tankers were parked outside the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., essentially turning the waters into a floating oil storage facility. The U.S. Coast Guard is monitoring the phenomenon. More.....
25 Apr 2020	The meaning of Anzac Day In this time of Covid-19, Australia marks Anzac Day without dawn services and marches. Instead, a private ceremony will be broadcast from the Australian War Memorial. It’s another change in a unique Australian commemoration that’s been evolving for more than a century. Anzac Day is a fixed moment of season and a day of remembrance with shifting meanings. The leaves change, the chill begins, the football launches, and then it’s 25 April, the day for The March. More.....
24 Apr 2020	Navy’s Caribbean task group meets for hurricane season The Royal Navy’s Caribbean task group has joined forces in Montserrat for the first time as it prepares for the impending hurricane season. Helicopter carrier/support ship RFA Argus linked up with the Royal Navy’s permanent presence in the region, HMS Medway, to begin their combined disaster relief planning and preparations. More.....
24 Apr 2020	Space Surveillance Telescope captures first images of space Images of space from the Space Surveillance Telescope in remote Western Australia have been captured, marking a significant milestone for the Defence space project. The first pictures from the joint Australia-United States space facility at Exmouth on WA’s Coral Coast follows its reassembly in a purpose-built facility, complete with a 270-tonne rotating dome. More.....
24 Apr 2020	Unknown Australian Army Captain identified In the lead-up to Anzac Day this year, the Australian Army has identified a previously unknown First World War Australian Officer as Captain Arthur Harold Appleby, providing his family with confirmation of his final resting place. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Darren Chester said for more than 100 years Captain Appleby’s family searched for his final resting place and that he was honoured to confirm that it is in the Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France. More.....
24 Apr 2020	Navy Anzac Day Bugler Profile
24 Apr 2020	Chief of Navy's Anzac Day Interview
24 Apr 2020	ANZAC DAY 2020 This year’s Anzac Day and the traditional methods of remembering those who came before us cannot be achieved. In this period of social isolation there is a perfect opportunity to reflect on the personal meaning of what the Anzac spirit means to you. During these challenging times you and your families can draw on the strength of the heroes on whose shoulders we stand, to assist them in overcoming the daily challenges that we are all currently facing. This guide contains information extracted from the Australian War Memorial, RSL Victoria and the Australian Parliament House websites, which reminds us of the traditions that we continue to follow so the Anzac spirit lives on in all of us. The way we commemorate Anzac Day this year will be different, but the strength we draw from it remains undiminished. Read.....
22 Apr 2020	Pentagon Leaders Say Trump Tweet on Iranian Attack Boats Was ‘Important Warning’ The Navy’s existing policy for dealing with the small Iranian vessels prevalent in the Persian Gulf matches the sentiment of a Wednesday morning Tweet from President Donald Trump, Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Hyten said during a Wednesday media briefing. “The President issued an important warning to the Iranians. What he was emphasizing is all of our ships retain the right of self-defense, and people need to be very careful in their interactions to understand the inherent right of self-defense,” Norquist said. More.....
22 Apr 2020	U.S. Navy, Royal Australian Navy Team Up in South China Sea The U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy came together for operations in the South China Sea starting April 13. HMAS Parramatta (FFG 154) began sailing with Ticonderoga-class guided missile-cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) then rendezvoused with amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) and Arleigh-Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) April 18. Their combined operations started with force integration training and maneuvering exercises between Parramatta and Bunker Hill. More.....
22 Apr 2020	Report to Congress on U.S. Navy Frigate FFG(X) Program The FFG(X) program is a Navy program to build a class of 20 guided-missile frigates (FFGs). Congress funded the procurement of the first FFG(X) in FY2020 at a cost of $1,281.2 million (i.e., about $1.3 billion). The Navy’s proposed FY2021 budget requests $1,053.1 million (i.e., about $1.1 billion) for the procurement of the second FFG(X). The Navy estimates that subsequent ships in the class will cost roughly $940 million each in then-year dollars. More.....
22 Apr 2020	Taiwan Starts Construction on 3rd & 4th Mine Laying Ship A keel laying ceremony was held on April 17 at Taiwanese shipbuilder Lungteh Shipbuilding for the 3rd and 4th Min Jiang-class mine laying ships. The vessels will greatly enhance Taiwan’s offensive mine fighting capacity and effectively counter the threat of the communist army. More.....
22 Apr 2020	Ex-RAN Adelaide-class frigates commissioned with the Chilean Navy Australia officially transferred former Adelaide-class frigates Melbourne (FFG 05) and Newcastle (FFG 06) to the Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile). A commissioning ceremony took place on April 15, 2020 at the HMAS Watson naval base in Sydney. Both ships, based on the US-made Oliver H. Perry-class frigate, were withdrawn from service in 2019 and bought (second-hand) by Chile in December 2019. They have been renamed Almirante Latorre (FFG 14) and Captain Prat (FFG 11) for the Chilean Navy service. More.....
22 Apr 2020	Has the cost of Australia’s future submarines gone up? Part 1 There have been claims in the media and by various commentators that the cost of Australia’s future submarine program has gone up. The Defence Department insists that it hasn’t. So, who’s right? Unfortunately, nothing is ever straightforward with the cost of defence projects. That’s partly because the department doesn’t release much information, particularly before it has an acquisition contract. More.....
21 Apr 2020	Supporting cyber health during COVID-19 The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) is increasing its fight against malicious cyber activity by protecting Australian families and businesses, as well as the health sector, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said the Australian Signals Directorate, through the ACSC, is engaging with hospitals and health service providers right across the country. More.....
21 Apr 2020	French carrier surpasses Theodore Roosevelt with over 1,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Recent reports out of France say that more than 1,000 sailors aboard the country’s aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle, have tested positive for COVID-19, a number that could continue to surge as the crew awaits approximately 930 more test results. The outbreak onboard the French navy’s flagship forced leadership to call off the remaining two weeks of the carrier’s scheduled deployment to the North Atlantic. More.....
21 Apr 2020	Defense Department study calls for cutting 2 of the US Navy’s aircraft carriers An internal Office of the Secretary of Defense assessment calls for the Navy to cut two aircraft carriers from its fleet, freeze the large surface combatant fleet of destroyers and cruisers around current levels and add dozens of unmanned or lightly manned ships to the inventory, according to documents obtained by Defense News. The study calls for a fleet of nine carriers, down from the current fleet of 11, and for 65 unmanned or lightly manned surface vessels. More.....
20 Apr 2020	USS America Now Steaming Near South China Sea Standoff USS America (LHA-6) is steaming towards waters in the South China Sea where a Chinese government survey ship and its China Coast Guard escorts are in an international maritime dispute with Malaysia. As of Saturday, America was operating with at least five Marine F-35B Lightning II fighters as well as MV-22Bs tiltrotors and CH-53 helicopters as part of the typical Marine air combat element configuration aboard the amphibious warship. With the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) temporarily sidelined in Guam, America is currently the most significant operational naval asset the U.S Navy has in the region as China flexes its maritime presence. More.....
20 Apr 2020	Online Petition – Agent Orange Exposure The HMAS Sydney Association (Vic. Inc.) have set up an online petition which relates to the effects of Agent Orange on ALL Vietnam Veterans, be they Navy, Army or Air Force. The petition started off as a "pen and paper version", but this has become totally impractical due to the COVID-19 virus and subsequent Mandatory Social Distancing laws. Therefore, all readers are requested to give their support by responding to the On-Line Petition. https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/agent-orange-exposure.html Please feel free to pass this information on to family and friends who may also be sympathetic to this cause.
17 Apr 2020	New patrol ship HMS Forth debuts in South Georgia This is the first sight of the Royal Navy’s new patrol ship in one of the most starkly beautiful – and remote – places on the planet to fly the Union Flag. For the first time since arriving in the South Atlantic, HMS Forth crossed 850 miles of icy ocean to patrol the waters around South Georgia. More.....
17 Apr 2020	Op-Ed: Plan Galileo, reshaping Navy’s sustainment and support Despite the turmoil and disruption of COVID-19, keeping the individual branches of the ADF ready to meet the requirements expected by government and the Australian public remains a top priority. For the Royal Australian Navy, the synergies and collaboration between defence industry and Defence are critical to implementing Plan Galileo, explains Rear Admiral Wendy Malcolm. In what seems like just a few short weeks, our world has been turned upside down by the spread of COVID-19. Every sector of society has been affected in some way. Yet, while the virus cuts a swathe through the economy, we are witnessing a national effort akin to that during World War II. More.....
16 Apr 2020	USS Theodore Roosevelt's Clean Fight Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) are pushing hard and making progress toward keeping their fellow Sailors safe and returning their ship to sea. Following routine naval operations in the South China Sea the Sailors of USS Theodore Roosevelt are face-to-face with a new, silent and invisible enemy, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They are fighting back, and the crew is now winning. More.....
16 Apr 2020	Navy IDs sailor who died from COVID-19 complications The Navy has identified the sailor assigned to the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt who died Monday from COVID-19 complications. Aviation Ordnanceman Chief Petty Officer Charles Robert Thacker Jr., 41, died April 13 at U.S. Naval Hospital Guam, the service announced. More.....
16 Apr 2020	Right on cue: PLAN conducts muscle-flexing exercise near Taiwan As if to mock the crippled world, Beijing has launched a provocative series of muscle-flexing exercises near Taiwan and the South China Sea, capitalising on the diminished US and allied presence in the region, adding further fuel to regional competition and fears about the rising power’s ambitions for the Indo-Pacific. Naval power has always played a critical role in the way great powers interact – subsequent arms races to design the most powerful warships often characterising the great power competitions of the past. More.....
16 Apr 2020	Marines and sailors 3D print protective gear following outbreak of COVID-19 on Okinawa Marines and sailors stationed in Okinawa, Japan, are 3D printing protective gear like face shields and face mask frames to help stem the tide of an outbreak of COVID-19. The service members with III Marine Expeditionary Force have 3D printed and delivered to its forces across Okinawa more than 400 face shields and 4,800 face mask frames, according to a release. More.....
16 Apr 2020	LHD capability expanded through First Of Class Flight Trials First of Class Flight Trials on HMAS Adelaide are providing the ship’s Aviation Support team with vital training and the Royal Australian Navy with increased operational capability. The trials off the Queensland coast determine the safe operating limits of the MH-60R ‘Romeo’ helicopter on the ship in a range of sea states and wind speeds, by day and by night. More.....
16 Apr 2020	Defence COVID-19 Rapid Response Group A new Defence-led Rapid Response Group has been established to help increase domestic stocks of invasive ventilators, as part of Australia’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Response Group will do further work investigating how to upgrade non-invasive ventilators to work as invasive ventilators, as well as how to re-purpose other suitable medical machines to be used as invasive ventilators. More.....
15 Apr 2020	VIDEO: Iranian Attack Boats Harass U.S. Navy, Coast Guard Vessels in Persian Gulf Nearly a dozen Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessels harassed a formation of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships in international waters in the northern Persian Gulf, the Navy announced today. Eleven Iranian vessels “repeatedly conducted dangerous and harassing approaches of the USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3), USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60), USS Firebolt (PC-10), USS Sirocco (PC-6), USCGC Wrangell (WPB-1332) and USCGC Maui (WPB-1304) while the U.S. vessels were conducting joint integration operations with U.S. Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in the international waters of the North Arabian Gulf,” the Navy statement reads. More.....
15 Apr 2020	UPDATED: At Least 668 Sailors in French Charles de Gaulle Carrier Strike Group Test Positive for COVID-19; Hundreds More Still Pending A COVID-19 outbreak on French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) and its carrier strike group has ballooned from 50 positive cases last week to at least 668 today, with 31 service members hospitalized and one in intensive care. Today, the French Navy announced it had tested 1,767 sailors from the carrier strike group, and 668 were positive for the virus. Another 530 tests results have not come back yet. The numbers are not broken down by ship, but the French Navy news release notes that “the vast majority of these tests concern sailors of the aircraft carrier,” according to a translation. More.....
15 Apr 2020	Australia’s landing ships could help the Pacific islands deal with Covid-19 Australia’s political leaders have spoken strongly about assisting our Pacific ‘family’ through the Covid-19 crisis. But the needs of the island nations go far beyond medical supplies and expertise. The Royal Australian Navy could play an important role in supporting critical infrastructure if the crisis hits the islands hard. More.....
15 Apr 2020	The looming threat of sea mines In mid-2018, the Chinese navy conducted one of the largest mine warfare exercises in living memory, involving some 60 minelayers and minesweepers, aircraft and submarines practising laying and countering live mines. This unprecedented exercise, supported by some of China’s top scientists and mine development specialists, increased the already growing unease about China’s expansion into the South China Sea. More.....
15 Apr 2020	Defence rolls out online training to support Operation COVID-19 Assist The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has successfully rolled out an online training package to support Defence personnel who may be deployed as part of Defence’s response to COVID-19. The training courses are designed to quickly prepare ADF personnel, who do not have a medical background, to conduct medical support tasks and other duties as part of Operation COVID-19 Assist. More.....
15 Apr 2020	Incorrect reporting on HMAS Watson COVID-19 lockdown The story run by Channel 9 last night, Tuesday 14 April 2020, is misleading and incorrect. HMAS Watson has not been placed in lockdown for COVID-19, nor any other reason. Members living on base are not confined, however they are following the direction of the Federal and NSW Governments, to stay in their local area and refrain from all non-essential travel. This is in line with broader community actions and expectations, and applies equally to all Defence establishments. There has not been an outbreak of COVID-19, nor any positive cases of COVID-19, at HMAS Watson. Defence continues to follow the advice issued by the Department of Health and state authorities to implement the necessary COVID-19 preventative measures across all establishments. Media contacts Issued by Ministerial and Executive Coordination and Communication, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT Phone: 02 6127 1999 Fax: 02 6265 6946
15 Apr 2020	Naval Historical Society of Australia (Victorian Chapter) President's April Musings are now available to download.....
14 Apr 2020	Dutch JSS Karel Doorman Set Sails to the Caribbean for COVID-19 Relief Mission The Royal Netherlands Navy's HNLMS Karel Doorman set sails for the Caribbean this morning. The Joint Logistic Support Ship (JSS) has been tasked by the Dutch Ministry of Defense to support civilian authorities in fighting the COVID-19 if the situation calls for it. The JSS vessel departed Den Helder naval base for an initial period of 3 months. As soon as it reaches the Caribbean waters, the Dutch islands located there will be able to rely on a versatile and quickly deployable capacity. More.....
14 Apr 2020	Truman Carrier Strike Group Will Stay at Sea to Avoid COVID-19 Infections The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is done with its deployment but will remain at sea off the East Coast of the United States, in an effort to keep the crew healthy from the COVID-19 pandemic and ready to take on missions if needed. Though the strike group has already conducted two deployments in a row without a major maintenance period, the Truman CSG is now the only on-call carrier strike group on the East Coast and must remain ready if needed, U.S. 2nd Fleet said in a statement. That means keeping the COVID-19 virus from finding its way aboard the ship. More.....
14 Apr 2020	US Navy should turn to unmanned systems to track and destroy submarines Anti-submarine warfare, or ASW, is one of a navy’s most difficult missions. Sonars detect submarines with only a fraction of the range and precision possible using radars or visual sensors against ships above the water. Submarines can carry missiles able to hit targets hundreds of miles away, requiring searches to cover potentially vast areas. And the torpedoes that aircraft and surface ships use to sink submarines need to be dropped right on the submarine to have any chance of sinking it. More.....
14 Apr 2020	It’s time for Australia to invoke ANZUS The US is in its worst crisis since World War II. With more than 582,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, it is the current global epicentre of the pandemic. More than 23,000 Americans have died from the novel coronavirus so far. Yesterday alone, over 1,500 people died across the US, nearly half of them in New York State. On 4 April, the death toll in New York City eclipsed the 2,753 killed in the terrorist attack that brought down the Twin Towers on 11 September 2001; by yesterday, the city had lost more than 7,000 to Covid-19. More.....
14 Apr 2020	Defence medical personnel to deploy to Tasmania The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will deploy personnel to Tasmania as part of an Australian Medical Assistance Team-led Commonwealth response, following a request for assistance from the Tasmanian Government. Around 40 Defence and seven civilian medical professionals will arrive in Burnie by air today, before moving to the North West Regional Hospital as soon as the deep clean has been completed. More.....
13 Apr 2020	Sailor from Theodore Roosevelt has died of COVID-19 complications A sailor assigned to the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt died after being admitted to an intensive care unit in Guam last week for coronavirus complications — the first such death of a sailor from the vessel. The individual’s name is being withheld until 24 hours after next-of-kin notification. The sailor was admitted to the ICU at U.S. Naval Hospital Guam on Thursday and died Monday, according to the Navy. More.....
12 Apr 2020	China’s 1st Type 075 LHD Caught on Fire during Fitting Out China's first Type 075 landing helicopter dock (LHD) caught on fire yesterday (11 April 2020) according to several pictures and videos shared on Chinese social media. The first-in-class amphibious vessel, which was launched 6 months ago, is currently at fitting out stage at CSSC’s Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai. More.....
12 Apr 2020	Almost 600 Sailors on Carrier Roosevelt Have Tested Positive for COVID-19 More than one out of ten sailors assigned to USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) have tested positive for COVID-19 as the Navy continues to isolate the infected sailors from the rest of the crew. The service has tested 92 percent of the sailors assigned to Roosevelt and discovered 585 positive cases of the virus. 3,724 sailors have tested negative since the carrier pulled into Guam last month, the Navy announced Sunday. More.....
11 Apr 2020	Russia’s 2nd Project 22350 Frigate ‘Admiral Kasatonov’ Starts Final Trials The Admiral Kasatonov frigate of project 22350 built by Severnaya verf Shipyard is beginning the final stage of acceptance trials in the Baltic Sea. The frigate will then return to the shipyard for the handover to the Russian Navy, Severnaya verf said. The frigate began trials on November 20, 2019. It tested its missile system in the White Sea and fired a Kalibr cruise missile at a coastal target in Chizha range in Arkhangelsk Region and then Kalibr and Oniks missiles at seaborne targets. More.....
11 Apr 2020	Remembering the first Vampire Having only served little more than two years at war, HMAS Vampire (I) - a V Class Destroyer in the Royal Australian Navy - had already earned five Battle Honours: Calabria 1940, Libya 1940-41, Greece 1941, Crete 1941 and Indian Ocean 1941-42. After near-constant action in South East Asian waters, Vampire was serving in the Allied Eastern fleet in the Indian Ocean. On the morning of 8 April 1942, she was escorting the Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Hermes from Trincomalee in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) to avoid an impending enemy attack. More.....
10 Apr 2020	Confirmed: 50 Covid-19 Cases Aboard French Navy’s Aircraft Carrier Following the announcement of a number of suspected Covid-19 cases among aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle's crew, a medical team was sent on board. The tests it carried out confirm fifty positive cases of Covid-19 on board. The French Navy (Marine Nationale) issued an initial statement mentioning 40 suspected Covid-19 cases two days ago, on April 8. More.....
10 Apr 2020	Immediate response to Tropical Cyclone Harold Australia stands with our Pacific family as the devastation of Cyclone Harold becomes clear. This destructive cyclone has impacted the people of Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Solomon Islands, and has resulted in tragic loss of life in Solomon Islands. Following Vanuatu’s request for international assistance, the Australian Government has approved a package of immediate assistance including: More.....
09 Apr 2020	Arafura class program reaches new milestone The Morrison Government’s $90 billion National Shipbuilding Program has reached another milestone with the ceremonial keel laying of the second Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) in Adelaide. The keel laying is an important shipyard and naval tradition that brings good luck to the build of the ship and the life of the vessel by placing a coin under the keel. More.....
09 Apr 2020	Naval shipbuilding industry to tap into skills of workers displaced by COVID-19 The Morrison Government’s unprecedented $90 billion Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise could provide a jobs’ lifeline for hundreds of skilled workers impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as work begins on moving skills training online. Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Melissa Price MP, said the Naval Shipbuilding College – which was set up by the Federal Government in 2018 to drive the growth of Australia’s shipbuilding industry – had moved quickly in response to the pandemic. More.....
08 Apr 2020	Navy Secretary officially resigns, capping bizarre 24-hour Theodore Roosevelt fiasco Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly has officially resigned, capping perhaps the most tumultuous 24-hour public relations fiasco the sea service has ever encountered. Modly notified Secretary of Defense Mark Esper of his resignation Tuesday following a meeting between the two. Esper subsequently confirmed Modly’s resignation in an official statement. More.....
07 Apr 2020	Royal Navy’s fourth Astute-class Submarine Sets Sail for Her Home Base in Clyde New ways of working and amended protocols have been introduced at the site, in line with Government guidelines, to enable a small team of employees to provide vital support to the Royal Navy ahead of the boat’s departure, while protecting their health and wellbeing. The submarine was guided into open water for the first time before setting off on her inaugural journey to Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, the home of the UK’s Submarine Service. More.....
07 Apr 2020	Modly apologies for remarks as key lawmakers call for his resignation Less than 24 hours after flying to Guam and igniting a firestorm of public criticism, including from key members of Congress, Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly issued a public apology Monday evening. In his remarks to the crew, Modly said the issue had become a scandal in Washington and that if the CO didn’t think his letter would leak he was either “too stupid or too naïve to be the commanding officer of a ship like this,” adding that “the alternative is he did it on purpose.” More.....
07 Apr 2020	Trump stepping in as dispute intensifies over aircraft carrier captain’s dismissal President Donald Trump weighed in Monday on a subject already fraught with divisive opinion, saying he “may get involved” in the COVID-19 controversy plaguing the polarizing aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt following a speech by acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly to the ship’s crew. “You know what, you have two good people and they’re arguing,” Trump said Monday during a White House briefing. “And I’m good, believe it or not, at settling arguments. I’m good at settling these arguments. So I may look into it in great detail. And I’ll be able to figure it out very fast.” More.....
07 Apr 2020	Adelaide departs Sydney to maintain Navy preparedness HMAS Adelaide has left its home port in Sydney to conduct First of Class Flight Trials for the MH-60R ‘Romeo’ helicopters off the coast of Queensland. The trials will determine the safe operating limits of the Romeo helicopters on the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) in a range of sea states and wind speeds at both day and night. More.....
07 Apr 2020	Findings from the Jesse Bird Inquest The Australian Government extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr Jesse Bird and honours his service to our country. The loss of a current or former Australian Defence Force (ADF) member is deeply felt by the entire Defence and veteran community, and when it comes to veteran suicide, the only acceptable number for me is zero — the only acceptable number for the Australian people is zero. More.....
07 Apr 2020	On the offensive against COVID-19 cyber criminals Cyber experts from the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) are cracking down on offshore cyber criminals who are targeting Australian households and businesses through devious scams and attacks. Telecommunications firms have also been engaged to block and takedown malicious websites. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said the ASD has mobilised its offensive cyber capabilities, to disrupt foreign cyber criminals responsible for a spate of malicious activities during COVID-19. More.....
06 Apr 2020	Navy Mandates Face Covering: What You Need to Know The U.S. Navy will now require the use of cloth face coverings for all military, Navy civilian and contractors as well as family members while on DoD property, installations and facilities when maintaining proper social distancing between people isn’t possible. The order is effective immediately, according to NavAdmin message 100/20, released April 5. More.....
06 Apr 2020	Venezuelan patrol vessel sinks after colliding with cruise ship ANBV Naiguatá (GC-23), a littoral patrol boat of the Venezuelan Coast Guard, sank following a collision with a cruise ship off Venezuela’s northern coast last week. The incident took place at around 00:45 on March 30, 2020, according to Venezuela’s defense ministry. More.....
06 Apr 2020	Lockheed Martin secures $13.6m RAN Romeo support contract The US government has approved a US$13.6 million FMS deal for Lockheed Martin to provide support to the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Danish Navy’s fleets of MH-60R Romeo anti-submarine warfare helicopters. This order provides non-recurring engineering efforts to include investigations, systems engineering support, risk analysis, integration development, weight impact, publication updates, maintenance, training, tooling updates and qualification testing in support of the MH-60R aircraft for the governments of Australia and Denmark. More.....
04 Apr 2020	Attack Submarine USS Delaware Joins Fleet The Navy commissioned USS Delaware (SSN 791), the 18th Virginia-class attack submarine, April 4. Although the traditional public commissioning ceremony was canceled for public health safety and due to restrictions on large public gatherings, the Navy commissioned USS Delaware administratively and transitioned the ship to normal operations. More.....
03 Apr 2020	Navy fires Theodore Roosevelt skipper following leaked letter pleading for COVID-19 assistance Navy officials announced Thursday that Capt. Brett Crozier, commanding officer of the sidelined aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, has been relieved of duty in the wake of a leaked letter he penned pleading for U.S. intervention to stifle a COVID-19 outbreak on the 4,800-person ship. Cozier’s letter, which was first published by the San Francisco Chronicle, was reportedly sent up the captain’s immediate chain of command in a “non-secure, unclassified” email that included “20 or 30” additional recipients, acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly told reporters Thursday. More.....
01 Apr 2020	Theodore Roosevelt captain makes urgent plea for individual quarantine sites as COVID-19 cases multiply The commanding officer of aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt is urging the Navy to step up its response to COVID-19 and secure individualized isolation for the ship’s crew as COVID-19 cases aboard the ship continue to multiply, according to a new report. While most of the Roosevelt crew remains in cramped quarters aboard the carrier, a small percentage of sailors are starting to move into group quarantine sites on shore in Guam to limit the spread of the virus — and only one of these sites is in compliance with NAVADMIN guidance. More.....
01 Apr 2020	FlyBy A periodical of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia. April 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.....

Latest Naval News

DVA Information of Interest

DVA
Information of Interest