Ironman among talented batch of recruits

Keeping up numbers
Navy faces an ongoing challenge of retaining trained people in categories experiencing acute shortages, particularly in technically based areas.


Latest Anzac joins the fleet
Rehearsals for the commissioning of HMAS Perth had been held in pelting squalls across Victoria Quay in Fremantle. But the Gods smiled on the day, August 26, as the ship, eighth and last of her class, joined the fleet before an audience of about 1500 people.


Navy’s eye in the sky
A long-range Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) will provide the eyes in the sky for an Armidale Class patrol boat during a Defence trial over the next few months.


Squadron to tackle Kokoda
Members of 817 SQN will tackle the gruelling 96km Kokoda Track as part of an aggressive adventure-training initiative to rebuild team spirit and morale following the Sea King accident in 2005.

Hunter has the right aims - Sea change
September 11 will mark the birth of Hunter One, Hunter Two and Hunter Three, the new crews for HMA Ships Huon and Hawkesbury.

Training set to become all at sea
Sailors seeking to enhance their qualifications during the current high operational tempo continue to reap the benefits of the training-at-sea program which was successfully trialled on HMAS Arunta in 2002.

Ballarat’s top brass
Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Bruce Billson witnessed the presentation of the AASM to 120 members of HMAS Ballarat’s crew recently.

There’s no place like home for new dad
It was a homecoming to remember for ABBM Michael Jack when he arrived home from HMAS Ballarat to the arms of a baby son he had never seen.

Westralia’s replacement gets Sirius
The RAN’s replacement for HMAS Westralia is making “Sirius” progress.

Seahawk upgradet
816 Squadron Seahawks have received a revitalising facelift to improve operational capability under Project Sea 1405.

Boat goes fishing
HMAS Launceston (LCDR Alex Gibbs) fulfilled her wish to “go out fighting” when she apprehended a Foreign Fishing Vessel (FFV) on her last patrol in the countdown to her decommissioning at HMAS Coonawarra on September 8

Positives from the far north

Complex capability
DSTO are working hard to help deliver three state-of-the-art destroyers to the RAN as part of the $6 billion AWD Program.

Billboard

Question time
It was about more than just politics when a RAN public relations officer spent a week on the ADF Parliamentary Program

All aboard for WA senator
HMAS Arunta welcomed a visitor of a different kind onboard recently when Senator David Johnston, Senator for Western Australia, embarked as part of the Navy’s parliamentary visitor program.

Awards mark Nias event
Maritime Commander Australia RADM Davyd Thomas has acknowledged the efforts of the RAN personnel who worked hard to ensure the first anniversary of the Sea King accident was a fitting tribute to the nine ADF heroes who gave their lives in the line of duty.

RAN represented in Crete
RAN personnel took part in a moving ceremony in Souda Bay to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Crete.

Navy flies in bush bash
A Navy team has again successfully participated in the NSW Variety Bash which started at Brookvale in Sydney on July 23 and finished 4,600km later in Bundaberg on August 3.

Taking Qld by storm
Staff of Naval Headquarters South Queensland conducted Navy Week Brisbane late last month and, in a word, it was a “wow”.

Net widens for submariners
The Navy has cast a wide net in the search for more submariners to crew Collins Class boats and may soon see the benefits of the direct marketing campaign targeting civilians with the required qualifications.

Good deeds by Manoora in Port Vila
In two physically exhausting yet satisfying days, sailors and officers from HMAS Manoora (CMDR Charles McHardie) provided some much needed assistance to Vila Central Hospital and the Shekinah House Project.

Knock off for safety
In a move embraced by all ADF Aviation Force Element Groups, every flying unit in the ADF has participated in a staggered stand-down for a day to conduct safety briefings focused on aircraft maintenance and to launch the Knock it Off maintenance program.