More Defence news: 24 November 2008 - 30 November 2008
| Australian soldier killed in IED attack | Australian soldier killed in IED attack | Defence Materiel Organisation supports young engineers | Minister for Defence visits Portugal | Minister for Defence visits Navantia | Reservist deploy to Solomon Islands | Exercise Aces North | Diggers help build health clinic at Uaimori | Medical aid delivered to the Solomon Islands | 7th Brigade Military Skills Competition 2008 | New empire takes out Navy’s song battle | Defence scientists receive international awards | A fish tank for future submarines | |
Australian soldier killed in IED attack LT Fussell was serving with the Special Operations Task Group when he was killed by an Improvised Explosive Device detonation while conducting a dismounted patrol in Oruzgan Province, on Thursday 27 November. |
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Australian soldier killed in IED attack An Australian soldier serving with the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) has been killed by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonation in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Lieutenant General David Hurley spoke on behalf of the ADF at a media conference yesterday. “Today our nation mourns the loss of a fine soldier. On behalf of the men and women of the Australian Defence Force, I offer my deepest sympathy to his family and to his friends,” Lieutenant General Hurley said. Two other SOTG troops were slightly wounded in the explosion. The soldier was a member of the Sydney-based 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando), and was conducting a dismounted patrol when he and his team were struck by the IED. The soldier’s immediate family has been advised and is receiving support from Army representatives. The two wounded soldiers have returned to operational duties. “As we have done in the past, the ADF will conduct an inquiry into this soldier's death in due course and we will, as has been our custom, release the results of that inquiry publicly.” At the request of the soldier’s family the ADF will not release his personal details at this time. “My highest priority right now is to ensure that the solder's family receives the care and support they need,” Lieutenant General Hurley said. As SOTG operations are ongoing, Defence will not provide further detail on this incident at this time as it could jeopardise the safety of those who remain in the field. More: Media release | VCDF Transcript |
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Defence Materiel Organisation supports young engineers 27 Novemebr - Defence Materiel Organisation will sponsor not-for-profit organisation Re-Engineering Australia (REA), established to raise school students’ awareness of, and interest in engineering as a potential career. The Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, Mr Greg Combet made the announcement at the 2008 F1 in Schools National Titles Awards at Parliament House Canberra. The initiative aims to help encourage a greater number of students to enter the field of engineering, a core skill for the workforce required to equip and sustain the Australian Defence Force. The REA sponsorship is one of 14 initiatives recently announced by the Rudd Government as part of a comprehensive skills package worth $61 million for the Australian Defence Industry. The REA sponsorship is worth $480,000 over three years. More: Media release |
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Minister for Defence visits Portugal
27 November - The Minister for Defence, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP travelled to Portugal to meet with the Portuguese Minister for National Defence, Mr Nuno Teixeira and Portuguese Foreign Minister, Mr Luis Amado. The visit to Portugal was to discuss Australia’s and Portugal’s defence and security co-operation with East Timor and Afghanistan. During the meeting with Mr Nuno and Mr Amado, Mr Fitzgibbon reiterated the need to continue improvements in the co-ordination of international security assistance to East Timor. The Ministers also discussed the outlook for Afghanistan by NATO and its partners, and the need for a continued commitment. More: Media release | Image Gallery |
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Minister for Defence visits Navantia
26 November – During a recent visit to Spain, the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon, saw progress being made on some of Australia’s largest acquisition projects with Spanish ship designer and builder, Navantia. Navantia is working on two major Navy defence projects including the Air Warfare Destroyers and amphibious Landing Helicopter Docks, which will provide key future capability. He also visited EADS CASA who are building the new-generation Airbus Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft and toured the Eurofighter facility to discuss the aircraft’s capabilities. More: Media release | Image gallery |
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Reservist deploy to Solomon Islands 26 November –Army Reservists from Western Australian, South Australian and Tasmania are back on the world stage, with more than 100 Reserve soldiers deploying to Solomon Islands. The soldiers are from Western Australia’s 13 Brigade, and 9 Brigade based in South Australia and Tasmania. Reservists, who have a dual civilian and military career, have been training for this opportunity for years. |
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26 November - More than 200 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel, F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets, F-111 aircraft and other Australian Defence Force aircraft along with a United States (US) Marine Corp Squadron have come together at RAAF Tindal and Darwin for Exercise Aces North. The exercise commenced on 7 November and will conclude on 5 December. More: Image gallery |
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Diggers help build health clinic at Uaimori
24 November – Recently, a team of 12 International Stabilisation Force (ISF) engineers and 13 East Timor Defence Force (F-FDTL) engineers built a health clinic in two weeks before the wet season set in. President Jose Ramos-Horta opened the temporary last week. A traditional Timorese greeting party of villagers in national dress and about 100 marching school children greeted President Jose Ramos-Horta, followed by a ribbon cutting. In his speech, Acting Commander of the International Stabilisation Force Colonel Peter Wood said it was an honour and a privilege to attend the opening of the Uaimori Health Clinic. “We are here to celebrate the efforts of a number of people who have come together to deliver this structure to assist in the delivery of local health services ahead of the Ministry’s program to construct a permanent structure,” Colonel Wood said. The ISF appreciated Brigadier General Matan Ruak’s support deploying a team of More: Image gallery |
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Medical aid delivered to Solomon Islands
24 November - Members from Combined Task Force 635 (CTF635) have been lending a hand to locals in Solomon Islands. Task force members have been on a mission to deliver medical aid to a small village called “Valley Culture” in the Gold Ridge region of Guadalcanal, in Solomon Islands. The Australian soldiers of CTF635 are predominately Army Reservists and are deployed to Solomon Islands under Operation ANODE. Operation ANODE is the name of the ADF contribution to the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). RAMSI's mission is to assist the Solomon Islands' Government in restoring law and order, economic governance, and improving the machinery of government. More: Image gallery |
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7th Brigade Military Skills Competition 2008
24 November - Just 10 points separated first and second place in a cliff hanger for the 7th Brigade Military Skills Competition 2008 as 6th Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) held out the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, Queensland Mounted Infantry at the Army’s Land Warfare Centre in Canungra. 6RAR compiled 716 points over the 38-hour competition narrowly holding off a cavalry assault in the last river crossing/confidence course challenge. Combat Service Support soldiers from 7 Combat Service Support Battalion revelled in the rain-soaked Canungra environment to take third place with 684 points. 6 RAR Section Commander Corporal Marcus Randall said the section was confident and winning was a great reward for the effort. “Everyone knew they had put in 100 per cent, so winning is a good reward,” Corporal Randall said. “We were confident in all the guys’ abilities and knew we had ‘smashed’ most of the stands – we just had to wait and see how the other sections went.” Ten stands were contested during the 38 hours with the competition culminating in Army’s newly reconstructed Land Warfare Centre Confidence Course. More: Image gallery |
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New empire takes out Navy’s song battle 24 November - Cronulla based band “New Empire” has won Navy’s Song Battle Competition with their new track ‘Hero’. The Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel has congratulated the band on its achievement. During the course of the competition there were 149 entries received on the MySpace Song Battle homepage with 19,364 page views and 11,446 votes cast. New Empire will now work with Defence Force Recruiting and George Patts Y&R advertising agency to develop the Navy’s new television commercial, to be launched in early 2009. More: Media release | winning song |
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Defence scientists receive international awards 24 November - Thirty Australian defence scientists and military personnel have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to international defence technology projects during 2007 and 2008. The awards were presented by The Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel at a ceremony last week. The annual awards are run under the auspices of the Technical Co-operation Program (TTCP). This organisation brings together defence scientists from the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Amongst the many projects for which Defence Science and Technology Organisation scientists have been awarded, is the research to develop an environmentally friendly and effective glue for the construction and repair of military equipment. Other achievements include improving helicopter flight safety during night flying, smarter detection methods for hidden cracks and corrosion damage in aircraft, the use of manned and unmanned mine countermeasure systems and electronic warfare systems to protect coalition forces, investigating imaging systems to discriminate targets of interest from their environment, and enhancing the performance of individual protection equipment. More: Media release |
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A fish tank for future submarines 24 November - A new underwater test facility was launched last week at the Defence Science and Technology Organisation in Melbourne by the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel. The new facility will assist research into Australia’s next generation of submarines. One Million dollars has been invested into the new facility to ensure Defence scientists are able to bring their expertise to the development of the new class of Australian submarines. The new water tank will primarily be used for experiments to control underwater noise. Noise radiation problems can be tested and evaluated in the tank before remediation measures are implemented with actual submarines. The new facility also allows unmanned underwater vehicles to be tested in the laboratory. A winged Autonomous glider was released into the water tank to demonstrate the collection of data in the maritime environment. More: Media release |
