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Latest News for our Navy Network Read our October edition of our newsletter BROADSIDE |
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October |
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BROADSIDE - October Edition NOTE: To read Broadside in Flipbook form click on the "Full Screen" 
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27 October Navy
chef turns up the heatA Navy chef with diverse experience in restaurants, cruise ships, food trucks and the mining industry has integrated smoothly into a tight-knit chef team on board the destroyer HMAS Hobart. Maritime Logistics Chef Able Seaman Daniel Crowther joined Navy in August 2021 after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions hit the hospitality industry hard in his home state of Western Australia. “It just killed everything,” Able Seaman Crowther said. He was consulting at a rural hotel in outback in WA and had a burrito truck and a paella truck. More..... |
27 October Making
the most of AUKUSAustralia is in style inside the Washington beltway. While AUKUS might not yet have a slogan like the ‘Throw another shrimp on the barbie’ that characterised earlier rounds of American Australophilia, it has captured the imagination of the DC policy elite. There’s broad goodwill for Australia’s bold ambition to acquire nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs). One reason for the commitment is that the factors that drove the initial announcement are as pressing as ever. The growth of China’s military power continues unabated. The Chinese Communist Party’s willingness to extend its influence and exert coercive power over its neighbours continues. More..... |
27 October Australia’s
navy is cultivating ‘a nuclear mindset’, says SSN taskforce
chiefAfter a year of intense research, the head of the 350-strong nuclear-powered submarine taskforce is confident the Royal Australian Navy will be equipped with SSNs. Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead tells The Strategist he believes ‘absolutely’ that the massive and highly complex industrial-scale endeavour is viable. Set up after the AUKUS technology-sharing agreement was signed by Australia, the US and the UK a year ago, Mead’s SSN taskforce will deliver recommendations on options to the government by March next year, and he says the work is on track. More..... |
25 October Defence
denies it plans to block public access to Beecroft PeninsulaThe Department of Defence has refuted claims it plans to permanently block public access to the popular Beecroft Peninsula on the New South Wales South Coast. The jagged headland on the northern edge of pristine Jervis Bay is frequented by outdoor enthusiasts and is home to the historic Point Perpendicular Lighthouse. The area, near Currarong, is also used by Defence as a weapons range for testing explosives. More..... |
25 October Veterans
prioritised in Federal BudgetThe Australian Government is investing in a better future for Defence personnel, veterans and families, responding to important recommendations put forward by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide and delivering on commitments from the Federal Election. More..... |
24 October Tensions
rise as the two Koreas exchange warning shots along maritime
borderThe two Koreas exchanged warning shots along their disputed western maritime boundary, their militaries said, amid heightened tensions over North Korea's recent barrage of weapons tests. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that its navy broadcast warnings and fired warning shots to repel a North Korean merchant ship that, it said, violated the sea boundary early Monday. However, North Korea's military said it responded by firing 10 rounds of artillery shells as a warning to South Korea. More..... |
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22 October Lack of support given to defence personnel likened to 'genocide' Indigenous Navy veteran Professor Brad Murphy says members leaving the Australian Defence Force were left disconnected from their sense of family and belonging. |
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22 October New
perks on offer as Defence sounds alarm on military staff
recruitment and retentionDefence bosses are promising new employment perks as the Australian military struggles to overcome "significant challenges" to meet ambitious recruitment and retention targets. In a recent letter to ADF personnel and department staff, the Defence secretary and the Chief of the Defence Force acknowledge the need to do more to "remain competitive", particularly given the "pace of change in our strategic and domestic environments". More..... |
21 October At Euronaval, defense firms dive deep into seabed
warfare platformsOne topic that was top of mind here at Euronaval was the bottom of the ocean — specifically both defensive and offensive seabed operations to protect, or attack, critical infrastructure, in light of the suspected sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline off the coast of Sweden last month. Seabed warfare is not new, according to former Royal Navy clearance diver Chris Lade who is today the defense sales manager for Saab Underwater Systems. “It’s been around for a very long time with mine warfare, but it’s what’s on the seabed that’s changed. Today there are communications networks, pipelines, power cables, and the threat against them is real.” More..... |
21 October U.S.
and Japan Prepare for Joint Exercise; U.S. Wraps up Drills
with Allies in South China SeaThe United States and Japan are preparing for a large-scale joint exercise in Japan next month, the Japanese government announced today. Exercise Keen Sword will involve 36,000 personnel, 30 ships and 270 aircraft from the two countries, along with the crews of four ships and three aircraft from Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, according to a Friday news release from the Joint Staff Office (JSO) of the Japan Ministry of Defense. More..... |
20 October China’s
Accelerated Timeline to Take Taiwan Pushing Navy in
the Pacific, Says CNO GildayAmid concerns that China could try to reunify the mainland with Taiwan faster than previously anticipated, the United States Navy is also eyeing a more immediate window for a potential conflict over the island, the service’s top officer said Wednesday. The Navy is still assessing how China’s recent 20th Party Congress meeting affects its plans for the fleet, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said at a virtual event hosted by the Atlantic Council. More..... |
20 October Three reasons to celebrateOn the eve of HMAS Toowoomba’s 17th birthday, the crew marked the completion of the mariner skills evaluation and the ship’s first week at sea since finishing the Anzac mid-life capability assurance program. Success in the mariner skills evaluation was an important milestone for the ship’s company, who have spent the best part of 2022 alongside, preparing the ship for sea after an extensive upgrade. For many of them, Toowoomba’s first week at sea was the first of their naval career. More..... |
20 October A day to sell the dreamThe return of Navy Day Victoria on October 9, after a pandemic hiatus, coincided with the 80th anniversary of HMAS Castlemaine’s commissioning in Williamstown. The people of Hobsons Bay were treated to a wet winching display from a an MH-60R Seahawk and musical entertainment from the Royal Australian Navy Band. An Air Force PC-21 Roulette put on an aerial display and flyover, while Navy technical trades, Defence Force Recruiting and the Australian Navy Cadets kept people occupied on the ground. More..... |
19 October Campaigning
mother of veteran who took his own life calls on government
to 'fix' defence royal commission, as Darwin hearings beginThe mother of a veteran who took his own life has called on the federal government to "fix" the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, saying it's hamstrung by parliamentary privilege protections. Julie-Ann Finney, who became a high-profile campaigner after her son, petty officer David Finney, died by suicide in 2019, has spent the past year travelling the country, attending public hearings and listening in as the commissioners gather evidence. More..... |
19 OctoberPlan your own commemoration this Remembrance Day The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has released a digital kitbag to help families, schools and community groups conduct their own commemorative service on Remembrance Day. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh said that during the First World War the kitbag was a soldier’s connection to home, a place to safely store your possessions alongside practical things like a trench coat, helmet and tin opener. “With this modern day digital kitbag you can download all the tools you need to conduct your own Remembrance Day service in your community or at home,” Minister Keogh said. More..... |
OUR OCTOBER HERO Admiral
Sir Victor Alfred Trumper Smith AC KBE CB DSCVictor Smith was born on 9 May 1913 at Chatswood, NSW, to George and Una Smith (nee Trumper). He was the second of three children and christened Victor Alfred Trumper. Victor and Alfred were his parent’s brothers – uncle Victor Trumper being the famous Australian cricketer. Smith was educated at Chatswood public primary school, then at Chatswood High for a year during which he passed the entry exams for the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay. Smith was a keen student and enjoyed sports such as rugby, tennis, and swimming. He also had an intertest in music and was active in the local Chatswood Wolf Cub Pack, where one of their instructors, a Lieutenant Commander Sims, taught the Pack bends and hitches and telling stories about naval life. This was the starting point for Smith’s interest in the navy, an interest that grew as he sought more information and was further influenced by a teacher with a son at Jervis Bay who spoke to him about the Navy. He entered the Royal Australian Naval College in 1927 as a Cadet Midshipman. In 1931 he was posted to HMAS Canberra, then in May 1932 he went on the Orient Line RMS Otranto to the Mediterranean to join HMS London, the Flagship of the First Cruiser Squadron, at Malta. An exciting time occurred when he was sent on a two-week course to HMS Glorious, the aircraft carrier in the Med Fleet. Smith found the air course to be engaging and full of interest. The advantages of an aircraft carrier to the fleet were immediately apparent and the duties of the Fleet Air Arm officers fired his enthusiasm with the realisation that aircraft were to play an increasingly important role in the navy. The experience on Glorious was a major influence in his decision to specialise in naval aviation. His story is continued in our Heroes Section..... |
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18 October ADF
provides support to floodingAbout 170 ADF personnel are providing support to the State Emergency Service in Victoria as La Niña continues its deluge across the nation. Two helicopters will join support efforts on October 18 to assist with evacuation and relocation of communities, lifting and moving heavy equipment, provision and resupply of essential food supplies to isolated communities and provision of feed and fodder for livestock. From October 13, the ADF has provided local community assistance including sandbagging to the flood-affected towns of Wangaratta, Shepparton, Echuca, Murchison, Mooroopna, Rutherglen and Bendigo. More..... |
18 October Navy Clearance Diver Trust helping out our communityEstablished in 2011, the Navy Clearance Diver Trust exists to provide support for life for serving and ex-serving clearance divers and their dependants. This mission is achieved through two avenues: 1. providing relief for clearance divers and their dependants from hardship resulting from injury or health impacts (physical or mental) of their service or training 2. providing support programs aimed at helping clearance divers and their dependants to transition into civilian life successfully through initiatives such as professional career coaching to transitioning or recently transitioned clearance divers. More..... |
18 October Chinese
Aircraft Carrier Deployment Prompted Record Japanese Fighter
ScramblesIn a six-month period from April to September, Japanese fighters scrambled 446 times to intercept threatening aircraft from China and Russia, according to the Japanese Ministry of Defense. Many of the aircraft intercepted belonged to the air wing embarked on the People’s Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning (16). The bulk of the scrambles happened because of Chinese aircraft activities, which accounted for 340 scrambles, or 76 percent of the overall total. The scrambles against Chinese aircraft in the first half of FY 2022 also increased by 59 from FY 2021’s total of 281 in the same period. More..... |
17 October U.S.
Navy Supports Australia’s Indo-Pacific Deployment Alongside
Canada, Japan in the South ChinaMaritime forces from Canada, Japan, and the United States concluded exercises in the South China Sea in support of Royal Australian Navy forces, Oct. 17. This exercise builds on the previous bilateral and trilateral exercises from recent months conducted in the South China Sea. Throughout the naval exercises, participants trained together and conducted integrated operations designed to increase the allies’ collective ability to maintain maritime security and readiness to respond to any regional contingency. More..... |
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17 OctoberGovernment
seeks your feedback on veterans' legislative reform Consultation on reforming veterans’ legislation has commenced today with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) seeking submissions from the community. The Australian Government recently agreed to Recommendation 1 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Interim Report, which called for the development and passage of legislation to simplify and harmonise the framework for veterans’ compensation, rehabilitation and other entitlements. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs the Hon. Matt Keogh said the Government is determined to deliver on its commitment to implement this recommendation in accordance with the timeline set out by the Royal Commission. More..... |
17 October Exercise
with Singapore wraps upA combined maritime task group comprised of Australian and Singaporean warships and troops has completed Exercise Trident. Three warships and over 1600 people were involved in the exercise, a continued commitment to bilateral joint military exercises under the 2015 Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Partnership. The exercise came to an end with a formal closing ceremony held at Tiger Hill at Shoalwater Bay, Queensland. More..... |
14 October Montebello
Islands nuclear test research finds radiation still present
70 years after blastDecades after an atomic bomb exploded on remote islands off Western Australia's coast, ex-serviceman Jim Marlow can still picture what he saw from 10 kilometres away. "It frightens the s**t out of you because you couldn't say you expected it because you didn't, you didn't know it was coming," he said. "A loud bang followed by a rumble … and you see the smoke [and] sand starting to build up and it goes up and up and up and lines the sky." More..... |
14 October Indian
SSBN INS Arihant Fires Submarine Launched Ballistic MissileINS Arihant carried out a successful launch of a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) on October 14, 2022. The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced in a statement: “The missile was tested to a predetermined range and impacted the target area in the Bay of Bengal with very high accuracy. All operational and technological parameters of the weapon system have been validated”. The Indian MoD added that the successful user training launch of the SLBM by INS Arihant is significant to prove crew competency and validate the SSBN program, a key element of India’s nuclear deterrence capability. More..... |
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14 October HMAS Adelaide Marine Technicians It takes a hard working team of Marine Technicians and other specialists to keep HMAS Adelaide powering across the oceans. While it’s easy to see all the work being done on the flight deck, deep inside the 230 metre long ship there’s 1000s of huge and complex propulsion and auxiliary systems that require expert maintenance. |
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14 October Contract
awarded for optimisation of Australia’s Hobart-class
destroyersThe Australian Government has signed a six-year contract with BAE Systems to take on a new, innovative sustainment role designed to optimise the capability of the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart class destroyers. The new approach will see a capability life cycle manager installed for the Hobart-class destroyers, the first of its kind for a major in-service asset, as part of the realisation of the future maritime sustainment model under Plan Galileo. The plan is defence’s new national, innovative approach to sustainment in support of continuous naval shipbuilding. More..... |
14 October Commander
walks the plank for charityHMAS Perth took on a pirate ship persona as part of a charity event before embarking on an Indo-Pacific deployment. On a calm morning in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Commanding Officer Perth Commander Tony Nagle was ceremoniously marched through a sea of sailors to walk the plank. ‘Captain Blackbeard’ escorted Commander Nagle to his fate. To the cheers of the crew, the Commander saluted for a final time from the plank’s edge then took the plunge into the sea. More..... |
13 October Memorial Service for VADM Ian MacDougall AC AFSMServing and ex-serving member of the RAN are cordially invited to attend the Memorial Service for former CNS VADM Ian MacDougall AC AFSM to be held at 1000 on 24 November at the Garden Island Chapel HMAS Kuttabul. Shuttle Buses will run to the chapel from the Kuttabul Cowper Wharf Road gangway from 0920. Please ask all those planning to attend to register their intention with the Commanding Officer’s Secretary AB Ben Lovett on email: and indicate if they need to be allocated car parking on board. The very restricted parking near the chapel will be limited to senior officers and to the MacDougal family and those with mobility difficulties. The latter will need to provide car registration numbers with their registration. There will be lift operating to take members using wheelchairs to the chapel from ground level. After the service the MacDougall family’s reception for all those attending the service will be at the nearby Naval Heritage Centre 1100 – 1215. Shuttle buses will then return guests to the Cowper Wharf Road Gangway. |
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12 October HMAS Glenelg Decommissioning Ships company of HMAS Glenelg said a fond farewell to the Armidale-class patrol boat in a decommissioning ceremony at HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin in the Northern Territory, on 6 October 2022 concluding the Royal Australian Navy ships 14 years of distinguished service. |
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12 October U.S.
Navy’s Enhanced Hypersonic Missile DefenseThe United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is tasked with creating a solution to intercept enemy Hypersonic Glide Bodies (HGB) that threaten allied naval and maritime vessels and interests. In order to accomplish this, MDA is developing missile interceptors to literally hit a hypersonic missile with a hypersonic missile and is termed, “Enhanced Hypersonic Missile Defense.” Naval News reached out to the MDA for comment. More..... |
12 October U.S.
Navy Wants 100 Unmanned Ships Monitoring Middle East Waters
by Next YearThe United States and its allies want a force of 100 unmanned surface vessels patrolling waters from the Red Sea into the Persian Gulf by next summer, the commander of U.S. 5th Fleet said on Tuesday. “We’ve established a goal to have 100 unmanned surface vessels available for patrol in waters around the Arabian Peninsula by the end of the summer of 2023… with a majority of the systems coming from our international and regional partners,” U.S. 5th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Brad Cooper said during an address at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. More..... |
12 October Coast
Guard crew describes rescuing fishermen who fought off
sharksThree men whose fishing boat sank in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast were rescued after surviving for more than a day despite being attacked by sharks that inflicted deep cuts on their hands and shredded one of their life jackets, according to their rescuers. Rescue crews found them only after one of the fishermen managed to send a text message from a nearly drained cellphone, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Keefe said. More..... |
06 October How
a 12-year-old tricked the Navy into letting him fight in
WWIIIn 1942, Calvin Graham was an 11-year-old living in an abusive situation that forced him and his brother into a Texas boarding home. It was there that he hatched a daring escape plan: Join the U.S. Navy and fight Nazis. In an effort to look older, Graham began shaving his face and practicing a deeper voice. But being a 5′2, 125-pound sixth-grader with razor burn hardly fooled anyone. It was forging his mother’s signature for consent and lifting a notary stamp that ultimately sealed the deal on his enlistment. More..... |
06 October HMAS Glenelg decommissions in DarwinThe Royal Australian Navy has decommissioned Armidale Class Patrol Boat HMAS Glenelg at HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin following 14 years of service. Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Jonathan Earley, CSC, RAN attended the ceremony and recognised the service of the Ship’s Company. “HMAS Glenelg and the men and women who have served in the vessel have made a significant contribution to our national interest,” Rear Admiral Earley said. More..... |
06 October Russian
Doomsday Sub Belgorod Spotted in the ArcticA Russian Navy submarine that carries bus-sized nuclear torpedoes was spotted in the Arctic after sparking headlines earlier this week over fears of a nuclear weapons test, according to new photos published on Wednesday. Project 09852 Belgorod was spotted on the surface operating in the Barents Sea, on Sept. 22 and Sept. 27, near the Kola Peninsula, USNI News contributor H I Sutton reported Wednesday for Naval News. More..... |
06 October North
Korea fires 2 ballistic missiles toward seaNorth Korea launched two ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Thursday, as the United States redeployed one of its aircraft carriers near the Korean Peninsula in response to the North’s recent launch of a powerful missile over Japan. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement the launches were made 22 minutes apart from the North’s capital region on Thursday morning. More..... |
06 OctoberService
pension and other pension increases to hit bank accounts
from today Australians on a pension will today be waking up to see a boost in their bank accounts, thanks to the largest pension indexation increase in more than 12 years and the largest increase to allowances in three decades. Those receiving a pension will receive the full payment boost in the first normal pension pay cycle following the formal indexation to rates on September 20. For most, including those on the Service Pension, that first boosted payment will occur today - while some have been receiving their updated payments over the past fortnight on the day of their specific pension payment. More..... |
05 October HMAS
Glenelg logs final rescueHMAS Glenelg added one last rescue to the ship’s log during their final port visit to Cairns before decommissioning. On the evening of September 24, Petty Officer Boatswain Daniel Leschke was on the bridge wing and noticed a vessel in the harbour had lost propulsion and a strange smell. “I grabbed the binoculars for a closer look and when I saw lifejackets coming out on deck, I knew something was wrong,” Petty Officer Leschke said. More..... |
05 October An
Australian-funded safe ferries program would save lives in
the PacificMarine safety and sea transport are major concerns for the Pacific islands region. The island states have a high level of dependence on inter-island transport for the movement of both goods and people. All Pacific peoples benefit from their access to affordable, safe and reliable sea transport. As Sam Bateman argued many years ago, maritime safety is a neglected aspect of maritime security. More..... |
05 October Raising
awareness of mental healthWith World Mental Health Day falling on October 10, Defence is encouraging its people to host activities throughout that week to raise awareness and promote connectedness to reduce the stigma and risks around mental illness. More than two in five Australians aged 16-85 have experienced a mental health condition, with the most common being depression and anxiety. More..... |
04 October Australia’s
‘damn the torpedos’ path to nuclear-powered submarinesI’ve often thought that Australia’s submarine transition is a wicked problem, perhaps one of the most wicked in the public policy arena. A wicked problem is one that is difficult or even impossible to solve because key stakeholders have fundamentally different interests and requirements. No solution can satisfy them all. It’s not just possible, but inevitable that intelligent people will be committed to very different solutions to wicked problems. More..... |
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04 October Submariner Command Course The Royal Australian Navy has conducted its inaugural Submarine Course on 16 April 2022, after decades of reliance on allied navies for training and assessing submarine commanders. |
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04 October More
supports now available for veterans in residential aged careFrom this week, Veterans, war widows and widowers living in residential aged care will benefit from expanded access to clinically necessary allied health care services and rehabilitation aids and appliances, regardless of the level of care they are receiving. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh said the changes will mean all eligible veterans, widows and widowers can access the supports they need, when they need it. “Previously, only those Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) clients with low level care have been able to access DVA-funded allied health care services and aids and appliances,” Minister Keogh said. More..... |
03 October Australian
and Singapore navies conclude Exercise SingarooThe Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) have successfully conducted bilateral maritime training during Exercise Singaroo 2022 in Australia’s northern waters. The exercise, which ran from 26 to 29 September, included high-end warfare serials by Australian frigates HMAS Hobart and RSS Steadfast and Republic of Singapore Air Force F-15SG and F-16 aircraft operating from RAAF Base Darwin. More..... |
01 October Sailor
found not guilty of Bonhomme Richard arsonA military judge on Friday acquitted a sailor of arson in a fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard, a blow to the Navy as it faces allegations of improper training and maintenance of the $1.2 billion amphibious assault ship. Ryan Sawyer Mays, 21, deeply exhaled when the verdict was read, put both hands on the defense table, broke into sobs and hugged supporters in the audience at Naval Base San Diego. More..... |
01 OctoberVeterans’
Health Week 2022 kicks off today Get out your kitchen utensils and put on your best apron as Veterans’ Health Week 2022 kicks off for 2022. With this year’s theme focusing on “Eat Well”, Veterans’ Health Week is an opportunity for ex-service organisations and community groups around the nation to host events to promote healthy eating habits and improve people’s knowledge of nutrition. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh said while Veterans’ Health Week officially runs from 1-9 October, events span right across the month of October. More..... |
01 October FlyByA periodical of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia. October Edition..... |
01 OctoberAlbanese
Government takes action on veteran and family support The Albanese Government has this week passed two vital pieces of Legislation supporting Defence personnel, veterans and families. Legislation extending the Incapacity Payments for Veterans Studying Pilot Program, and the Defence, Veterans’ and Families’ Acute Support Package will both go a long way to ensuring veterans and families get the support they need and deserve. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh said extending the pilot program until June 2023 means that veterans undertaking study as part of their Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) funded return to work rehabilitation program will continue to receive incapacity compensation payments calculated based on 100 per cent of pre-injury earnings. More..... |
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News Archives:
For all news articles prior to 01 October 2022 go to our News Archive page |
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