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Latest News for our Navy Network Read our April edition of our newsletter BROADSIDE |
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28 April Australia’s
Hunter-class frigate program must be stopped and redirectedby David Shackleton In 2009, Australia’s government decided that it would replace eight Anzac-class frigates with nine ships optimised for antisubmarine warfare (ASW). There was no justification in the Royal Australian Navy capstone doctrine for acquiring and optimising a frigate for ASW, which it regarded as among the most difficult of naval operations to be conducted and most effectively performed using submarines and aircraft. General-purpose ships can contribute to ASW, but their primary tasks are air defence, anti-shipping and land attack, and command and control at sea. Soon, this can be expected to include serving as controlling nodes for unmanned vehicles of various types. More..... |
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27 April New
school set up to counter modern threatsNavy’s intelligence and information warfare training capability has adapted to face the new challenges with the creation of the Maritime Intelligence and Information Warfare School (MIIWS) at HMAS Watson. The school brings together the training of information warfare officers, intelligence officers, imagery specialists, and cryptologic and electronic warfare sailors. More..... |
27 April HMAS
Toowoomba home for Anzac DaySailors and officers of the Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba (II) have commemorated Anzac Day in the ship’s namesake city of Toowoomba in south-east Queensland. A contingent of the ship’s company from the west-based unit travelled to participate in the city’s dawn service and Anzac Day parade, remembering those who served before them whilst renewing ties with the local community. More..... |
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27 April Remembering
Galloping Jack at GallipoliAnzac Day this year was significant for Navy aviation technician Able Seaman Adrian Ebenwaldner as he reflected on his family’s military tradition when he joined Australia’s Federation Guard in Gallipoli. Able Seaman Ebenwaldner’s great uncle was Brigadier General John Robinson Royston, a South African officer who in 1916 led the Australian Imperial Force’s 12th Light Horse Regiment. More..... |
27 April HMAS
Ararat trains with Ocean ProtectorThe crew of HMAS Ararat recently conducted interoperability activities with Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Ocean Protector while deployed near the remote Australian territory of Christmas Island on Operation Resolute. The training included officer-of-the-watch manoeuvres, rafting and refuelling and other activities, demonstrating the versatility of both the Armidale-class patrol boat and ADV Ocean Protector. More..... |
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27 April Top
sailor to USS George Washington crew: at least you’re not in a
foxholeAs sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier George Washington cope with three suicides among their shipmates in the past two weeks, and as the ship continues a lengthy and extended maintenance overhaul in the desolation of Newport News, Virginia -- resulting at times in no power or working bathrooms for those living onboard -- the Navy’s top enlisted sailor brought a blunt message during a visit Friday. Things could be worse. More..... |
26 April Crew
steps ashore for remote commemorationThe crew of HMAS Glenelg commemorated Anzac Day at one of the most remote and distant parts of Australia – the Cocos (Keeling) Islands – while deployed on Operation Resolute. The Cocos (Keeling) archipelago is located halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka, almost 3000 kilometres north-west of Perth. The ship’s company held a dawn service on board, recognising the service, sacrifice and memory of all service personnel who had served and continue to serve Australia in times of war and peace. More..... |
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26 April Medals
taken to battlefield in family tributeAnzac Day was particularly significant for Petty Officer Geri Martin as the medals of her great-grandfather were taken to the shores where they were earned. No. 252 Private Thomas Lowe joined the 8th Light Horse Regiment, Australian Imperial Force, in 1914 in Victoria. After spending time in Egypt, he and his unit fought at Gallipoli. The 8th Light Horse suffered terrible losses during the Battle of the Nek in early August, 1915. More..... |
26 April How
Defence scientists gave a voice to the ‘silent Anzac’Petty Officer Henry Kindler recalls the sad ending to Australia’s first attempt to establish a submarine service. “I stood by the conning tower to warn the captain, to make sure that AE2 would sink fast. He just got on deck when she took her final dive. For a few seconds, I could see her moving through the water like a big, wounded fish, gradually disappearing from sight. I felt sorry to see AE2 come to such an end but she had died fighting.” More..... |
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26 April
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23 April AB Jack Le Cras, o/n F5406 Onboard USS Missouri when the Japanese Surrender was formally signed. |
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23 April Invictus
closing ceremony caps incredible weekSeven days of unforgettable competition and camaraderie concluded with a stunning closing ceremony celebrating the 500 wounded, injured and sick serving and former-serving military personnel from 20 nations who came together to compete at Invictus Games The Hague in the Netherlands. Earlier in the day, competition culminated with a charged day of cycling, which saw 11 Australian team members take to the track for the final events – the time trial and criterium. More..... |
23 April Family
and friends are at the heart of Invictus GamesIf our Invictus warriors are the masters of their fate, then the same can be said for their family and friends who support them on their individual journeys. Without their love and understanding during their rehabilitation journeys, it would be fair to say our 32 Australian competitors – and the 500 competitors from 20 nations around the world – would not be where they are today: competing at Invictus Games The Hague 2020. Which is why we say family and friends are at the heart of the Invictus Games. More..... |
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23 April ‘Em’-azing
Emilea is inspired by her daughterLove is a powerful motivator. Just ask Invictus Games The Hague 2020 competitor Emilea Mysko, who openly credits her 10-year-old daughter, Kelsea, as her greatest inspiration. Emilea, who served as a medic in the Royal Australian Navy for eight years before being medically discharged in 2015, has many physical injuries, two of which in particular (injuries to her right shoulder and left foot/ankle) prevented her continued participation in able-bodied sports. More..... |
22 April RSLs
lack young veterans for Anzac Day events as NSW president calls for
changeThe future of Anzac Day events is at risk due to a lack of young veterans signing up to volunteer with RSL sub-branches, long-serving members have warned. A report by the NSW RSL found 90 per cent of their volunteers were over the age of 55. Mudgee RSL sub-branch president Geoff Robinson said they would struggle to put on Anzac Day events without more young ex-servicemen and women. More..... |
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22 April Florida
crocodile spends a while sunbathing on naval runwayWhat’s old, likes tanning in the hot sun, and has leathery skin? A fair number of Florida residents, to be fair, but one in particular recently caused a small ruckus at a Naval airstrip. An American crocodile parked herself on a runway at Naval Air Station Key West and spent a day with the Hornets on March 10. “This airfield resident was soaking up some sun on one of our runways recently and didn’t want to budge,” NAS Key West’s Facebook posted about the crocodile. More..... |
22 April Musician's
touching tributeMore than 105 years after his death, the name and legacy of Private No. 5104 Matthew Tubman lives on. Able Seaman Matthew Tubman, a musician posted to the RAN Band, visited Bonjean Cemetery in France to pay his respects to his father’s great-uncle. Private Tubman was killed in action on January 22, 1917. As the sun shone on the Private Tubman’s headstone, his great-nephew, once removed, stood at attention and, on the hour, sounded the Last Post. More..... |
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22 April Team
Australia stands with UkraineThe moving cries of ‘Slava Ukraini’ and ‘Heroiam Slava’ have echoed around Zuiderpark, the home of Invictus Games The Hague 2020, over the past week. The stirring exclamations, which translate to ‘Glory to the Ukraine’ and ‘Glory to the Heroes’, have been taken up by competitors, family and friends from all participating nations, as well as visitors from all four corners of the globe, in a resounding show of solidarity for the brave competitors from this war-torn nation who have left the conflict for a week to attend this international, adaptive multi-sport competition. More..... |
22 April Bob’s
treasured giftBob Reck will return home to Cairns with many special memories from Invictus Games The Hague 2020. There’s the pride in watching his son, Royal Australian Navy sailor Leading Seaman Chris Reck, throw himself into his athletics, cycling, indoor rowing and powerlifting events with power and determination. He was also serenaded by Team Australia’s family and friends contingent at The Hague Central Train Station with a rousing rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’, and being gifted a Ukranian patch by a Ukranian national at the first reception attended by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Friday, April 15. More..... |
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22 April Follow the bouncing ball at the Invictus Games Team Australia took on the Brits in wheelchair basketball at the Invictus Games in The Hague. As usual for such a clash, the action is frenetic, skillful and inspiring. Unfortunately, the Brits won this one (Australia 11, UK 19), but we all know the Invictus Games is about more than medals, right? |
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21 April After
a Decade of Debate, Cruisers Set to Exit Fleet in 5 YearsUSS Vicksburg (CG-69) is in the middle of a $200 million repair period meant to keep the guided-missile cruiser in the fleet well into the 2030s. The repair work was part of a controversial decade-old Navy modernization plan to keep 11 of the remaining 22 Ticonderoga-class cruisers in the service’s inventory into the 2030s. But now the Navy wants to abandon the modernization as part of a wide-ranging cut of legacy platforms the service says cost too much to fix and maintain. In the next five years, the Navy plans to shed its entire cruiser force, including the ships part of the ongoing modernization program, according to the long-range shipbuilding plan released this week. More..... |
21 April Royal
Navy WW1 mine victim found off Scotland after 105 years on seabedA Royal Navy warship has been found by divers on the Scottish seabed – almost 105 years to the day it sank. Torpedo boat destroyer HMS Jason has not been seen since she struck a mine and sank off the island of Coll in the Inner Hebrides in April 1917. But after five years of research and surveying, the wreck of the Jason was found first on sonar – then confirmed by a team of divers who plunged 93 metres into the chilly waters. More..... |
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21 April The Purple Pony gets her feet wet...again Watch as the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Toowoomba hits the water again at Henderson shipyard in Western Australia after an 18-month midlife upgrade. |
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21 April Invictus Games indoor rowing inspiration The atmosphere is electric. The athletes incredible and inspiring. Welcome to the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 rowing competition. Watch as these amazing athletes overcome incredible obstacles and give their all in a two minute flat-out challenge to go as far (on a stationary trainer) and as fast as they can. Enjoy. |
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20 April Invictus Games: Diving in aids mental health Returning to the pool during day four of the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 was a particularly poignant moment for Australian team member Chris O’Brien. On his way home from his second tour of Afghanistan in 2010, the former Australian Army artillery officer was a first responder to a fatal boating accident in Cyprus. More..... |
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20 April Invictus
Games: Day five previewTeam Australia’s 26-strong indoor rowing squad is set off for a fierce day of adaptive racing on August 20, which is day five of competition in the Invictus Games at The Hague. Among the rowers will be Emilea Mysko, who claimed two gold medals at the Invictus Games Sydney 2018: one in the women’s IR5 four-minute endurance and another in the women’s IR5 one-minute sprint. More..... |
19 April Australia’s
Collins-class submarines to get $381 million upgradeThe Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class submarines will be upgraded with a new “cutting-edge optronics system”, according to the announcement made by the country’s Defence Minister Peter Dutton. The optronics system is expected to help maintain the tactical advantage in intelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance, and anti-surface warfare for the submarines. More..... |
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19 April Austal
Australia to build an additional two Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats
for the Royal Australian NavyAustal Limited (ASX:ASB) today welcomed the Prime Minister of Australia, The Hon Scott Morrison MP, to the company’s Henderson Western Australia shipyard, where he announced the Department of Defence will order an additional two Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats (ECCPB’s) for the Royal Australian Navy, for $124 million. More..... |
19 April Invictus
Games: Competing a victory, says medallistGabriel Ramon is still struggling to come to terms with the fact that he will be returning home with an Invictus Games silver medal. For the former Royal Australian Air Force airfield defence guard, who has a deteriorating knee injury first sustained during a field training exercise, getting to the athletics field to compete in shot put was a victory in itself. More..... |
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19 April Invictus
Games: Day four previewThirteen Team Australia competitors will take to the blocks at the Invictus Games swimming pool on April 19. The packed program in the pool will begin with the heats. Australian swimmers will be looking to make a splash in the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke and 100m freestyle heats. The final heat will be the 4 x 50m mixed relay. More..... |
18 April Invictus
Games: 'The camaraderie here is extraordinary’Steve James needed a win. And today he got just that when he took out top spot in the men’s IF4 discus on day two of Invictus Games The Hague 2020. In 2000, former Royal Australian Navy maritime warfare officer Steve James was critically injured when boarding a vessel at sea, leaving him with severe injuries to his cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, left shoulder and arm. Since his accident, 50-year-old James has undergone 37 procedures on his spine to alleviate his chronic pain. More..... |
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18 April Invictus
Games: day three previewIt’s only Day 3 of the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 and what a games it’s been already. The action continues with Australian competitors featuring in the athletics finals and sitting volleyball. A total of 10 Australian competitors will take to the track and field during day 3, including Scott Reynolds who plans to soak up the atmosphere rather than focussing on the results. More..... |
17 April Invictus Games - day two preview  Team
Australia will be in action across three sports on April 17 –
archery, athletics and sitting volleyball.Archery: Team Australia’s six-person archery squad will begin their Games campaign. Athletics: Sunday also marks the first day of athletics competition with both track and field programs getting underway. Sitting Volleyball: Team Australia’s 14-person sitting volleyball team side is primed and ready to take to the court on Sunday. More..... |
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17 April A
princely start to the Invictus GamesThe Invictus Games The Hague 2020 has officially opened with a spectacular Opening Ceremony at Invictus Games Stadium, following the first medal event of the Games. During the ceremony, competitors, staff, family and friends were welcomed to The Hague to celebrate the official start of the week-long competition of adaptive sports. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex both addressed the crowd, which included Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, His Highness Prince Pieter-Christiaan and Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte. More..... |
16 April U.S.
Navy bolsters submarine force in Guam to support Indo-Pacific
missionsThe Navy now has five submarines homeported in Guam — up from two the service had based there as of November 2021. The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines Springfield and Annapolis shifted their homeport to Naval Base Guam last month. The Springfield was previously based in Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii while the Annapolis was at Naval Base Point Loma in California. More..... |
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15 April Team
Australia arrive in The HagueTeam Australia has touched down to a warm welcome in The Hague, ready for the start of the fifth Invictus Games which begins this Saturday. The 32 competitors joined 27 staff members and 72 family and friends on an Air Force KC-30A aircraft from Sydney to give the team time to prepare ahead of their events. Today, Team Australia competitors, team staff and family and friends were able to preview the sports venue for the first time as they attended a welcome reception at the Nations Home at Zuiderpark where they were greeted by Australian Ambassador to the Netherlands His Excellency Matthew EK Neuhaus. More..... |
15 April Attitudes
changed over long careerChief Petty Officer Sharon Brown has witnessed a significant change in attitude towards women in her 42-and-a-half-year naval career. In 1980, Chief Petty Officer Brown was in the first cohort of Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) recruits to train and graduate with their male counterparts. WRANS merged into the Royal Australian Navy in 1984 but women could not serve at sea until the following year. Even then, it was optional and excluded combat duties. More..... |
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15 April
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14 April USS Abraham Lincoln, Japanese Ships Drill in the Sea of Japan USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), USS Mobile Bay (CG-53), USS Spruance (DDG-111) with (JMSDF) Kongō-class guided-missile destroyer JS Kongō (DDG 173), and JMSDF Murasame-class destroyer JS Inazuma (DD-105) sail in formation during a U.S.-Japan bilateral exercise. |
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13 April Russian
Navy Confirms Severe Damage to Black Sea Cruiser Moskva, Crew
Abandoned ShipThe Russian Navy’s Black Sea flagship has suffered major damage and the crew has abandoned the ship, state media said late Tuesday in reports following Ukrainian claims of hitting the ship with a missile strike. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the mishap on RTS Moskva (121), a ship in the country’s Black Sea Fleet, according to state-run outlet TASS. The crew of the Moskva the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet was severely damaged and the crew abandoned ship, the Russian Defense Ministry told TASS. More..... |
13 April Hunter-class
frigates won’t meet the RAN’s needsSince the British Type 26 was announced as the reference design for Royal Australian Navy’s nine Hunter-class frigates, the program has been controversial. The recent leaked report on the system design review was extremely negative, giving rise to calls to cancel the program. So, what does the navy require of its surface combatants and will the Hunter be able to deliver it? This is a critical issue in an era where large warships have become a threatened species. Analyst Hugh White recently said, ‘Finding a ship is now a cinch and sinking it is now trivial.’ Some other experts agree. More..... |
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13 April Revving it up at the 2022 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix The Australian Defence Force (ADF) was proud to showcase its technological capabilities and highly trained personnel during Formula 1 Grand Prix, 7-10 April 2022 at Albert Park, Melbourne VIC. Over the course of the event a number of Navy, Army and Air Force capabilities were on show, including aerial displays by the Air Force Roulettes, CA-18 Mustang heritage aircraft from Air Force’s 100 Squadron, and the Air Force Balloon. Ground displays included Team Army’s Project Digger, Matilda, Ghost Robotics quadruped robot and Armygeddon, M1A1 Main Battle Tank, Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle Type 1 and M113AS4 Armoured Personnel Carrier, a Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat crewed by members of HMAS Cerberus, Royal Australian Navy Band – Melbourne Rock Group, Australian Defence Academy Formula SAE Racing team, ADF Drone Racing, flying simulator provided by Air Force Motivation Program, and talks by members of Defence Force Recruiting. |
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13 April Video: Day 2 at Sea Air Space 2022 – Unmanned Systems |
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12 April RAN Band - Navy Music Writers - Episode 4 The Royal Australian Navy Band 'Navy Music Writers' series showcases musicians in the band who arrange and even compose their own music. Arranging and composition of new music, particularly by our own members, is a critical part of the Navy Band's contribution to the evolving culture of the Royal Australian Navy. Our thinking, fighting, our Australian Navy. |
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12 April Video: Day 1 at Sea Air Space 2022 – Constellation-class Frigate and Weapon Systems |
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12 April Carrier
USS Abraham Lincoln in Sea of Japan Ahead of Key North Korean
AnniversariesAircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is in the Sea of Japan, in time to coincide with key North Korean anniversaries like the 110th birthday of its late founding leader Kim Il-sung on April 15 and the founding anniversary of the North Korean People’s Revolutionary Army on April 25. The carrier’s recent move is the second time this year Lincoln has been employed to conduct a presence operation to deter North Korea, with an earlier one carried out on March 15 in the Yellow Sea as a response to North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile launches on Feb. 27 and March 5. Lincoln was previously operating in the South China Sea off the coast of the Philippines. More..... |
12 April 808
Squadron shows its versatility in TongaDuring Operation Tonga Assist 2022, crews from Navy's 808 Squadron completed dozens of missions around the 169-island archipelago, including VIP flights, airlifting essential stores and equipment, and transporting medical teams and COVID-19 vaccines to outlying islands. A Navy MRH-90 Taipan helicopter operated from the landing helicopter dock HMAS Adelaide and, subsequently, HMAS Canberra. Flight commander of Ready Team 1, Lieutenant Robert Garnock, said every single flying mission conducted was rewarding. More..... |
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11 April Russian
Navy Taking on Resupply Role Nearly 50 Days Into Ukrainian InvasionRussian Navy ships in the Black Sea are currently resupplying troops in Ukraine instead of playing an offensive role, a senior defense official said Monday. Day 47 into the Ukrainian invasion, and the Russian Navy continues to mostly support the invasion. The country has a couple dozen ships in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, the senior defense official told reporters. Those ships have contributed to some missile strikes in the Donbas region, but those are a small percentage of the Russian missile attacks, the senior defense official said. More..... |
11 April Japan
Countering China’s Naval Build-up with Modern FleetLast month, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force commissioned JS Kumano, the first of its new Mogami-class multi-role frigates. The warship was built at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries facility in Tamano and is the first of a planned class of 22 ships that are destined to replace the fleet’s aging Abukuma-class destroyer escorts and Asagiri-class light destroyers. Displacing about 3,900 tons, the new frigates have a low radar signature and will deliver new capabilities, including facilities to support the deployment of uncrewed underwater vessels and uncrewed surface vessels, and are fitted with a vertical launch system hosting surface-to-air missiles for medium-range anti-air warfare capability. More..... |
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11 April Prince
of Wales remembers her forebears in service over wreck of HMS HoodSailors on Britain’s biggest warship paid their respects to their forebears – 80 years after a terrible battle which stunned the Navy and nation. The crew of aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales held a service of thanksgiving for the men of HMS Hood over the battle-cruiser’s wreck in the Denmark Strait. More than 1,400 men were killed when the then pride of the Royal Navy joined battle with Hitler’s flagship Bismarck on May 24 1941. Just three of Hood’s crew survived when she blew up – her magazine detonated by a German shell which tore the leviathan apart. More..... |
11 April Submarine
sea ride an honour for familyFamily members of Victoria Cross for Australia recipient Ordinary Seaman the late Edward 'Teddy' Sheean have experienced life at sea in the Royal Australian Navy submarine named after him. They had a sea ride in HMAS Sheean in the Bass Strait on April 7, departing from Low Head on Tasmania’s north coast. Commanding Officer of Sheean, Commander Tim Markusson, said it was wonderful to have the opportunity to show the Sheean family through the boat. “It is a proud day for my crew and I to welcome aboard the family of Teddy Sheean after whom our boat is named,” Commander Markusson said. More..... |
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RANC Class of 62-65 Visit Museum Ship ex-HMAS Castlemaine RANC 1962-65, a broad-based group of those who were in the cohort at any stage, held a reunion at Williamstown VIC from Tue 8 to Fri 11 Mar 22. Williamstown was the chosen venue to allow their Victorians easy attendance, as they can only rarely attend the more-common Sydney activities. Moreover, many of the cohort had served in ships located at Williamstown (when the time-ball tower was still working) and were interested in the changes since the Navy deserted the area. They were not disappointed, with most Victorians attending and many memories rekindled in the great maritime flavour of the area. They stayed at Aligned Corporate Residences (ACR – formerly Quest), assembled at the Customs House Hotel, had the main dinner event at the Strand Restaurant and, after the COVID-cancellation of the ferry/Young & Jacksons run, concluded with lunch at Pelicans Landing Restaurant & Bar (part of the ACR complex). But the outstanding activity was a tour of the former HMAS CASTLEMAINE, superbly maintained and run by volunteers, led by retired MEO Dennis (Windy) Gale: apart from the opportunity to see how crews lived and worked during wartime, there was much nostalgia for Australia’s failure to maintain its ship manufacturing capability evident in 1962-65.  ‘Under the Ensign’ (with about 454 years full-time service between them) are: Geoff Earley, Phil McGuire, Bill Overton, Gerry Purcell, Mike Stock, Rod Withnell (obscured), John Worstencroft, Chris Oxenbould, Al Cook, Graeme Johnstone, Tony Christie, Tim Cox, John Newman, Geoff Bairnsfather & Doug Gillies.  ‘At the Gangway’ are: Phil McGuire, Claire Purcell, John Worstencroft, Al Cook, Peter Champness (from NOC, not part of the cohort), Geoff Bairnsfather, Graeme & June Johnstone, Lorna Woods (Bill Overton’s wife), Kathy & Geoff Earley, Gerry Purcell, John Newman, Chris Oxenbould & Bill Overton. |
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08 April Australia partnering with Palau The Australia Defence Force is working closely with the Pacific nation of Palau to enable it to patrol its vast territorial waters and protect vital fisheries from poaching. Australia has a 25-year strong security partnership with Palau, dating back to the handover of the Pacific-class patrol boat PSS President HI Remeliik in 1996. Since that time the two nations have worked together in the spirit of regional stability, economic prosperity, and safe and lawful oceans. |
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08 April More
than 400 personnel to be recognised for emergency evacuations from
AfghanistanOn Friday 8 and Saturday 9 April 2022, the Minister for Defence, the Hon Peter Dutton MP will recognise the significant contribution of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel in the evacuation of over 4,000 Australians, foreign and Afghan nationals and their families at RAAF Base Amberley and Lavarack Barracks respectively. At the two medal presentation ceremonies the Australian Operational Service Medal – Greater Middle East Operation will be awarded to those who deployed in support of the Afghanistan Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO). Over 400 ADF members will be recognised for their support to the evacuation effort, as a result of a change to the Australian Operational Medal Regulation 2012. More..... |
07 April Crew
parades through city for final timeThe crew of Armidale-class patrol boat HMAS Maitland conducted its final freedom of entry parade in Maitland, NSW, on April 2, with the ship to be decommissioned later this month. Commanding Officer of Maitland, Lieutenant Commander Jeremy Evain, said it was a great honour to lead his ship’s company through the streets of Maitland. “Freedom of entry is the highest accolade a town can award a military unit and we are privileged to have received this mark of trust and respect from the people of Maitland,” Lieutenant Commander Evain said. More..... |
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06 April Indo Pacific 2022 - Register for FREE today! |
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06 April RAN Band presents You Are My Sunshine |
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06 April Warm
welcome for crewHMAS Arunta returned to Fleet Base East on April 5 after a three-month regional presence deployment to South-East and North Asia, which included port visits where the crew could go ashore. During the deployment, Arunta took part in Exercise Milan 2022, a multinational exercise involving 46 navies from around the world with 13 fleet units participating in the sea phase. The theme of this year’s exercise – hosted by the Indian Navy – was Camaraderie, cohesion and collaboration. More..... |
05 April HII
Lays Keel of Future Aircraft Carrier USS EnterpriseHII has laid the keel block of the aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN-80) on Tuesday, USNI News has learned. The seventh U.S. warship named after the Revolutionary War sloop, Enterprise formally began fabrication at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding yard in Virginia, Rear Adm. James Downey, the program executive officer for carriers, told USNI News on Tuesday. The start of fabrication comes three weeks ahead of schedule and as the carrier is about 13 percent done, Downey said. More..... |
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05 April Equipping
Australia’s navy to meet the threat from PLA anti-ship cruise
missiles‘Vampire! Vampire! Vampire!’—three words that would send shivers down the spine of any ship’s captain. This is because ‘vampire’ is the US military’s brevity code for a hostile anti-ship missile. Typically, advanced anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs) have long ranges and advanced guidance systems and in some cases incorporate stealthy design features, decoys and countermeasures to assist them in penetrating sophisticated air-defence systems. More..... |
05 April AUKUS
nations commit to developing hypersonics, drone subs, cyber
Australia, Britain and the US will jointly develop hypersonic weapons and capabilities to protect against them, as well as undersea drones, advanced cyber capabilities and other technologies, according to newly revealed details of the AUKUS defense agreement. “The AUKUS partners will work together to accelerate development of advanced hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities,” a joint statement from Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the UK, and US President Joe Biden, released Tuesday, says. More..... |
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05 April Australia
approves $3.5 billion missile procurementThe Morrison Government has approved the accelerated acquisition of improved weapon capabilities for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) at a total cost of $3.5 billion. Minister for Defence the Hon Peter Dutton MP today announced that Defence will accelerate the acquisition of: * The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) for the Royal Australian Air Force; * The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) for the Royal Australian Navy’s surface fleet; and * Maritime mines to secure Australia’s ports and maritime approaches. More..... |
04 April Marching
On deck for mental healthHMAS Canberra's crew completed the 96km March On challenge raising funds for Soldier On while sailing home from Exercise Tonga Assist 2022. March On with Soldier On is a virtual challenge held annually in March, aimed at raising awareness and helping to prevent veteran suicide. The challenge, derived from the length of the Kokoda Track, pays tribute to those Australian soldiers who fought there in World World II, while also highlighting the need to help contemporary personnel. More..... |
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03 April Our April Navy Hero:  CPOCD
William (Bill) Terence Fitzgerald OAMWilliam (Bill) Fitzgerald was a legendary clearance diver with the Royal Australian Navy who was charged with demolition of ordnance in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. Wearing the heavy and cumbersome equipment of the time, he would dive on the American bombs and Japanese and British mines left behind in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Often, low water visibility meant that he worked at great personal risk, hardly able to see his hand in front of his metal helmet. In later operations he dived on an Australian atomic test site, despite being told by the bomb’s developer that the work would leave him sterile for five years. He also made a high-risk dive to the depth of 79 metres to free the sluice gates of the Eucumbene Dam in the Snowy Mountains. Continued..... |
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03 April MMHN
March 2022 UpdateGreetings So far away from us - yet inextricably connected by the sea. MMHN acknowledges with sorrow the desperate plight the citizens and seafarers of Ukraine. Read on … |
03 April Spirits
lifted in a day of thanksShire of Richmond Valley residents affected by the worst floods in living history came out in force on Saturday, April 2 to thank Australian Defence Force personnel for their assistance. Richmond Valley major Counsellor Robert Mustow came up with the idea for a parade that saw more than 750 ADF personnel march through Casino's streets. The parade gave residents of the region an opportunity to thank the ADF “for the enormous role” it has played in assisting the Richmond Valley community to get back on its feet. The thank you had a two-way effect: lifting the community and the spirits of the ADF personnel. More..... |
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02 April |
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02 April Ukrainian
helicopters raid oil depot in Russian city: reportsA pair of Ukraine’s Mi-24 “Hind” helicopters have reportedly made a daring raid more than 20 miles into Russia, destroying an oil depot in the southern city of Belgorod on Friday, according to Russian officials and open source reports. The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, accused Ukraine of carrying out the attack in a Telegram post, Reuters reported. He said that the two helicopters entered Russia flying at low altitude, presumably to evade air defenses. More..... |
01 April Italy
plans to send two MCM vessels to Romania to tackle mine threatOn March 28, the Romanian Minister of Defence, Vasile Dîncu, had a bilateral meeting with the Italian Minister of Defence, Lorenzo Guerini, as part of the Italian dignitary's visit to the 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base. Among the topics discussed were the floating mines detected in the Black Sea. According to a press release issued by the Romanian Ministry of Defense, the two officials discussed the security situation in the Black Sea region (including the drifting mine threat) in the context of the Ukrainian war, NATO summit decisions, and measures to consolidate the Alliance’s defense and deterrence posture, as well as cooperation within the EU and bilaterally. More..... |
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01 April Leak
Reveals First Details Of Australia’s New AUKUS SubmarineLeaks have appeared in Australia’s nuclear submarine program. They reveal key details about the new submarine, which is the cornerstone of the new AUKUS pact between Australia, United Kingdom and United States. The go-forward design will be very different from what many have previously speculated. The new submarine will be a nuclear-powered evolution of the Collins Class. Six Collins Class are already in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) so this reflects a conservative choice. The leaked document, seen by Naval News, outlines the propulsion. While the Collins Class is not mentioned, it is clear from a computer aided design (CAD) drawing that it is based on a Collins Class hull. As well as the nuclear propulsion, the new boats appear to have a vertical launch system for additional missiles. More..... |
01 April SECDEF
Austin Extends Truman Deployment as Conflict in Ukraine ContinuesSecretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is extending the deployment of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, its escorts and Carrier Air Wing 1 as a hedge against Russian aggression in Europe, two defense officials confirmed to USNI News on Thursday. USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) has spent almost four months operating in the Mediterranean Sea since Austin ordered the strike group to remain on station in December as Russia massed forces along the Ukrainian border, USNI News previously reported. More..... |
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01 April Sailor
charged in catastrophic Bonhomme Richard fire has trial date setThe trial for a junior sailor charged with starting the fire that eventually destroyer the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard in 2020 is scheduled to run from Sept. 19 to Sept. 30, U.S. 3rd Fleet announced this week. The head of the San Diego-based command, Vice Adm. Steve Koehler, opted to refer charges against Seaman Recruit Ryan Sawyer Mays in February, following an Article 32 hearing that weighed the evidence against the sailor. More..... |
01 April FlyByA periodical of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia. April Edition..... |
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