More Defence news: 13 October 2008 - 19 October 2008
| Taliban Insurgent attack injures Afghans | “Navy Divers” documentary series | Free ADF Family Health Care Trial expanded | DSD evaluates SafeNet’s ProtectDrive | Smart Bombs score another hit | Combined Arms Training Activity at Wide Bay Training Area | Funeral for the late Private David Fisher | No remains of WWII airmen located at PNG site | Lord Nelson Sword of Excellence Ceremony | |
Taliban Insurgent attack injures Afghans
17 October - A Taliban insurgent attack on ISAF and Afghan troops in southern Afghanistan went astray last week injuring eight Afghan civilians including a two-year-old child. More: Media Release | Image Gallery |
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“Navy Divers” documentary series
17 October – This afternoon, the Commander Australian fleet, Rear Admiral Nigel Coates, AM RAN, hosted a launch event for a new television documentary series showcasing the Navy’s Clearance Divers. The series gives viewers a rare insight into the gruelling selection course that the trainees must survive in order to join the ranks of one of the Navy’s most elite and mysterious units. Navy Divers is a documentary series which follows the story of a group of young trainees as they face the physical and mental challenges of selection to become one of the Navy’s elite Clearance Divers. More: Media release | Image Gallery |
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Free ADF Family Health Care Trial expanded 17 October - Today, the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, announced that the trial of free basic health care for ADF dependants will be expanded to include Townsville (QLD), Darwin (NT) and Puckapunyal (VIC) in late 2009. |
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DSD evaluates SafeNet’s ProtectDrive The Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) has completed a security evaluation of SafeNet’s ProtectDrive. ProtectDrive is a PC security product, designed to encrypt information at rest whilst stored in hard drives or removable media. DSD and SafeNet have worked collaboratively throughout the evaluation to ensure ProtectDrive meets the information security needs of government. The security product can be deployed and managed using Microsoft Active Directory which translates to reduced management complexities and real cost savings for government department and agencies. More: Media release |
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The Minister for Defence, Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP has announced the successful testing of the Joint Direct Attack Munition- Extended Range (JDAM-ER) weapon which will enable the RAAF to deploy strike weapons more safely and effectively. The Defence, Science and Technology Organisation developed the gliding mechanism in a wing attachment that enables the 500 JDAM weapon to accurately find long range targets, giving the launch aircraft a fire-and-forget capability at a safe standoff distance, well out of harm’s way from enemy threats on the ground. The recent tests were conducted at the Woomera Test Facility in South Australia by Aerospace Operational Support Group. Tests were also conducted by the Defence Material Organisation to further develop the product. More: Media release | Image gallery |
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Combined Arms Training Activity at Wide Bay Training Area 15 October – Queensland’s Wide Bay Training Area has seen units from 8 Brigade deploy on their annual Combined Arms Training Activity. High Readiness Reserves deployed into the field to undertake live field fire platoon size attacks and ambushes, while other Brigade units provided support tasks to the infantry. Soldiers and officers exercise and assess their skills and knowledge, while additionally enabling Brigade units to practice their core skills to meet standards and ready them for deployment. |
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Funeral for the late Private David Fisher
15 October – Yesterday, a military funeral service was held for Private David Fisher, at Macquarie Park Cemetery, North Ryde, NSW. Private Fisher of the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) is Australia’s last missing Australian soldier from the Vietnam War and recently returned to home soil. A private ceremony was held for Private Fisher to honour his service during the Vietnam War. More: Media release | Image Gallery 1 | Image Gallery 2 | Repatriation from Vietnam | Repatriation to Australia | Funeral | Biography |
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No remains of WWII airmen located at PNG site
13 October - A thorough search of the wreckage of a WWII RAAF Lockheed Hudson in Papua New Guinea has uncovered dog tags, but no remains of the four airmen lost with the aircraft on 11 February 1942. Flying Officer Graham Gibson, Pilot Officer Frank Thorn, Sergeant Barton Coutie and Sergeant Arthur Quail were aboard Hudson bomber A16-126 when it was shot down during a sortie against Japanese shipping at Gasmata harbour, New Britain. An Air Force team of nine personnel, including two Air Force Reservist forensic specialists, deployed to the isolated mountain ridge inland from Gasmata by helicopter on Saturday, 4 October 2008. They spent a week at the wreckage site, and no human remains were found. More: Media release | Image gallery |
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Lord Nelson Sword of Excellence Ceremony
13 October - Lieutenant Commander David Graham has today been awarded the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Lord Nelson Sword of Excellence, during a ceremony at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. This annual award is presented to an officer of the Australian fleet who has continually displayed a degree of leadership consistent with the high standards set by Horatio Lord Nelson. The Chairman of the Nelson Society of Australia, Mr Mike Sargeant, also participated in today’s ceremony, awarding a Nelson Society Medallion to Lieutenant Commander Graham. Lieutenant Commander Graham joined the RAN in 1992 and has most recently served as the Commanding Officer of an Armidale Class Patrol Boat, based in Darwin. Lieutenant Commander Graham has continually performed at an extremely high standard. During his command, he and the ship’s company won the prestigious Kelly Shield in 2007, awarded annually for overall proficiency within the Patrol Boat Force Element Group. More: Media release | Image gallery |
