Volume 49, No. 20, November 02, 2006
Fact finding mission
Project team get their feet wet
The Amphibious Deployment and Sustainment Program (ADSP) is helping to replace Navy ships over the next 15 years. As part of the program, about 30 staff from the Defence Materiel Organisation got a feel for the operators’ requirements when they toured HMA Ships Kanimbla and Tobruk and were briefed by Maritime HQ staff recently. The mainly-civilian staff are members of the ADAS Program, which over a period of about 15 years is procuring ship-to-shore watercraft, rigid-hull inflatable boats for the Special Forces, an oil tanker, two large amphibious ships and a strategic lift vessel. Project of the moment is the $2 billion amphibious ship purchase, tenders closed on October 16. The project will replace Tobruk and one of the LPAs with the two largest ships Navy has ever had. CAPT Steve Woodall, who was CO of Kanimbla during Operation Sumatra Assist two years ago and who is now Director of Capability Requirements for the Amphibious Ships Project, said this was a great opportunity for the project people to get an understanding of Navy’s operational needs and to see how the current amphibious capability can be improved on.
Call for WWII veterans
Share your memories
People who served in or abroad for Australia during World War II are invited to contribute their experience for an upcoming book, A Tribute to the Silent Heroes. Fay Karamanakis is the manager at East Point Military Museum in Darwin and is writing the book as a tribute to the men and women who defended Australia. Veterans and wives who served our country, and those who fought against Australia are welcome to share their stories to help keep the memories of the past alive. For more information on how to contribute your story, contact Fay at fak@iinet.au or phone (08) 8981 9702.With the respite time provided by the multi-crewing arrangements that the Armidale Class Patrol Boats operate under, Attack Five (LCDR Cath Hayes) has recently been involved in some community liaison work which included the painting of the Darwin Naval Cadets facilities and also participated in the beautification of the Arrow Bar which is located on HMAS Coonawarra.
Hospital benefits from raffle
Ipswich changes leadership
During August, HMAS Ipswich (LCDR Darren Grogan) conducted a raffle in the name of charity. The prize was that sailors could become CO/XO for a day. The event was an unbridled success with all money raised going to a very worthy cause, Cairns Hospital Children’s Ward. The winners of the raffle were ABMT Allman (CO) and ABMT(E) Mackenzie (XO). Once the winners were briefed, and a handover conducted, the day kicked off in earnest. In the finest traditions of the RAN, the new CO and XO ordered a full day of cleaning stations, formal rounds and man overboard exercises, culminating in a steel deck barbecue.
