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Defence can confirm an incident involving an EA-18G Growler at Nellis Air Force Base during Exercise Red Flag. Royal Australian Air Force personnel are safe and no serious injuries have been sustained. Defence is currently working with the United States Air Force to investigate and will provide an…

HMAS Warramunga’s crew has conducted one of the largest drug seizures in Operation MANITOU’s history as part of the Australian-led Combined Task Force 150.In a joint counter-narcotics operation, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) seized 915 kilograms of heroin…

The Future Submarine Program is managed by an extremely experienced executive with more than 250 years of collective project management experience. Mr Kim Gillis is the Deputy Secretary Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) in Defence. Mr Gillis has more than 20 years of senior…

Two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Super Hornets have flown the Australian Air Task Group’s final strike mission over Iraq.Australian F/A-18 Hornets have conducted continuous operations in Iraq since their first mission in October 2014, flying more than 2,700 sorties over 21,000 flying hours.…

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga seized 111 kilograms of heroin valued at $33 million during operations in the Arabian Sea on 7 January 2018. This is the third successful interdiction for Warramunga in the past fortnight, taking the ship’s total seizures to more than 11.5 tonnes of…

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga, with support from a UK Royal Navy helicopter, seized more than 3.5 tonnes of illicit narcotics during a night-time operation in the Arabian Sea on 3 January 2018 at around 0830 AEDT. Warramunga intercepted and boarded suspect vessel, under the…

Reports claiming that Defence is unprepared for possible future challenges are misinformed.  Defence has sufficient fuel storage and munition holdings to meet its current needs. We also have access to additional fuel through existing arrangements with commercial suppliers and our…

The crew of the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga have spent the Christmas season hard at work, spending nearly three days seizing almost eight tonnes of hashish and 69 kilograms of heroin from drug smugglers while conducting maritime security operations in the Arabian Sea. Warramunga…

Around 1,880 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel serving their nation on operations overseas will celebrate Christmas away from their families and friends this year. ADF personnel are deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, the broader Middle East Region and South Sudan, as well as in our northern…

Over 260 officer cadets and midshipmen graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) in Canberra today, prepared to serve our nation with distinction. The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency,  General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, MC, (…

The first India-Australia 2+2 Foreign and Defence Secretaries’ Dialogue was held in New Delhi on 12 December 2017, hosted by Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra of India with Secretary Frances Adamson of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and…

A ceremonial parade was held at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Richmond today to mark the disbandment of Number 285 Squadron. No. 285 Squadron was formed on 24 August 1999 to train aircrew and technicians serving on the C-130H and C-130J Hercules transport aircraft, as well as the Boeing…

The Royal Australian Navy has decommissioned the Adelaide Class frigate, HMAS Darwin, at her homeport of Garden Island, Sydney, after more than three decades of service to the nation. In a ceremony full of tradition, Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, paid tribute to the service of the…

More than 300 Australian Defence Force personnel are returning to Australia in time for Christmas, after a six month deployment on Operation OKRA in Iraq.Task Group Taji 5 leaves Iraq having contributed to the development of the Iraqi Security Forces to restore security across the country.Colonel…

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Aircraft from Williamtown and Amberley have completed a training exercise with United States Air Force B-1B Lancers from the United States’ Pacific Air Force over the eastern coast of Australia. Exercise Lightning Focus included up to 30 jets flying at any…

On the 75th anniversary of the final action of HMAS Armidale (I), the Royal Australian Navy has again paused to mark the loss of 100 servicemen. During evacuation operations in the World War II, the Bathurst class corvette was sunk in action by Japanese aircraft in the Timor Sea on 1 December 1942…

After five months intensive training, Navy has graduated its newest group of officers from the Royal Australian Naval College, HMAS Creswell. Commanding Officer Creswell, Captain Charles Huxtable, said the officers had been comprehensively prepared for a career in the Navy, completing the New…

Following consultation with the local community, businesses, representative groups and landholders, the Department of Defence today confirmed the Shoalwater Bay Training Area will be expanded and Defence will seek to develop an alternative site in the vicinity of Townsville as part of the Australia…

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) assisted the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) with a medical evacuation operation off the coast of Western Australia. Responding to a medical emergency, the ADF and AMSA successfully  transferred a sailor suffering a serious medical condition to…

  The Australian Government is aware of the recent SIGAR report. The Australian Government carefully manages our contribution to Afghan sustainment funding. Alongside Australia’s military commitment to the Resolute Support mission, Australia also contributes to the Afghan National Army (ANA)…

The Australian Government will extend blood testing, water connections and participation in the epidemiological study to newly defined management areas previously not part of the Investigation Area at Williamtown.The Department of Defence has been working to finalise its Human Health Risk…

Over the period 13–24 November 2017, 44 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel and a C-27J Spartan transport aircraft will participate in Exercise MHANUU 2017 in New Caledonia. MHANUU is hosted by the French Armed Forces of New Caledonia (FANC) and involves rehearsing regional…

Australian Defence Force personnel at home and abroad will pause on the 99th anniversary of the Armistice today, in memory of all those who have died in all wars. Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin attended the Remembrance Day National Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial…

Defence officials and representatives from seven Pacific nations attended the Women in Pacific Forces Seminar in Canberra this week. The seminar focused on the importance of female participation in conflict prevention, management and resolution, and integrating a gender perspective into capability…

Over the period 6–7 November 2017, Royal Australian Navy (RAN) frigates, HMA Ships Parramatta and Melbourne, joined Republic of Korea (ROK) destroyer, ROKS Sejeong The Great, and US destroyer, USS Chafee to participate in a multilateral maritime interdiction exercise off the coast of Jeju, ROK. The…

Today the Australian Army hosted its fourth consecutive annual Innovation Day at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra.The theme for this year’s event was ‘Novel Weapons and Novel Effects’.This year’s event comprised 19 companies from Australia, the United States, Europe and Israel…

A PC-9 aircraft from Number 2 Flying Training School at RAAF Base Pearce in Perth made an emergency landing today on a grass air strip outside Gin Gin, Western Australia. No one was injured and the aircrew was recovered by SAR helicopter. Air Force is investigating the incident.

Australian bravery and ingenuity on the battlefield will today be honoured as 100 horsemen and women recreate the charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade as part of the centenary commemorations for the Battle of Beersheba in Israel. The Battle of Beersheba on 31 October 1917 was part of the…

Australia and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will participate in Exercise HAEDOLI WALLABY, a bilateral anti-submarine warfare exercise, from 1–3 November 2017.The biennial exercise demonstrates a shared commitment by Australia and the ROK to regional security and security of the Korean peninsula.Royal…

Today the Australian Army marked the final phase of Plan BEERSHEBA at the Freedom of Entry Parade for 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, 7th Brigade in Brisbane.A procession of more than 65 armoured military vehicles and three new M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks rolled into the 7th Brigade at Enoggera…