The 2022 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) have departed Australia, bringing an end to the eleventh annual rotation of United States Marines Corps (USMC) through the Northern Territory. As part of this year’s rotation, approximately 2,200 US military personnel trained with the Australian…

In an important milestone for the Australian Defence Force, the Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicle has reached Initial Operational Capability on schedule under Project Land 400 Phase 2. The Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart said the Boxer was tested during Exercise Sea Raider and is…

More than 260 military personnel from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom have deployed to Singapore for the latest iteration of Exercise Suman Protector. 30 Defence personnel will attend the nine-day Command Post Exercise (CPX), which builds on decades of…

The Australian Government has signed a five-year contract with Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd to continue to invest in the capability of the Royal Australian Navy’s fleet of Collins class submarines. The $322 million contract will provide in-service support for the Collins class submarine combat system…

The Royal Australian Navy has decommissioned Armidale Class Patrol Boat HMAS Glenelg at HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin following 14 years of service. Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Jonathan Earley, CSC, RAN attended the ceremony and recognised the service of the Ship’s Company. “HMAS…

Three Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships have commenced a regional presence deployment through the Indo-Pacific region, marking the fourth such deployment this year. During this deployment HMA Ships Hobart, Stalwart, and Arunta will participate in maritime exercises with regional partners and…

Defence has deployed a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to the Mediterranean as part of Operation SEA GUARDIAN 22. Operation SEA GUARDIAN is an ongoing non-Article 5 NATO maritime security operation aimed at maintaining maritime situational awareness, deterring…

Yesterday, Chief of Joint Capabilities, Lieutenant General John Frewen, officially opened the Pitt-Johnston Electromagnetic Warfare Research Centre, a collaboration between Joint Capabilities Group and the Defence Science and Technology Group. This purpose-built facility boasts a highly secure…

Defence, in collaboration with the United States Space Force (USSF), have achieved Initial Operational Capability to provide enhanced space domain awareness As announced at the 2012 Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN), the Space Surveillance Telescope was relocated to…

The Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force have joined Indigenous and community leaders to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the formation of the NTSRU – the Northern Territory Special Reconnaissance Unit. The Unit was created in 1942 to protect Australia’s north during World War II.…

Two large-scale Army exercises came to a close in Townsville last week, with Australian and Indonesian military personnel participating in the Junior Officers’ Combat Instructor Training (JOCIT) course and Exercise Sea Raider. JOCIT builds on an important and enduring partnership between the…

A combined contingent from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), and United States Marine Corps (USMC) have located 22 WWII-era aerial bombs for removal from Tuvalu waters during Operation RENDER SAFE 2022. At the request of the Government of…

Australia’s Naval Shipbuilding Program has reached another milestone, with the keel laying for its fifth offshore patrol vessel (OPV) in Henderson, Western Australia. A coin was positioned under the keel of OPV 5 (Illawarra) – the first of many traditions for a Navy ship. “A keel laying is an…

Eighty years on from the decisive campaign, Australian Army soldiers have walked the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea (PNG), commemorating the service and sacrifice of those who fought in the defence of Australia during World War II. Members of the 39th Operational Support Battalion and 16th Royal…

Australia and Indonesia will conduct bilateral air mobility training at RAAF Base Townsville for Exercise Rajawali Ausindo from 25 to 29 September 2022. The exercise will involve a C-130H Hercules transport aircraft from the Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angatan Udara, or TNI-…

Australia’s first MQ-4C Triton Remotely Piloted Aircraft System has been rolled out today as part of a partnership between the Australian Department of Defence, the United States Navy and Northrop Grumman. Head Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, said the partnership would support…

The Pacific Support Vessel, Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Reliant, commenced her inaugural deployment from Cairns today, further enhancing Australia’s support to the Pacific family and our closest neighbours. Timor-Leste will be Reliant’s first stop en route to the Pacific, where she will visit…

Exercise Kakadu 2022 (KA22) is set to be one of the biggest yet. There will be more than 15 vessels, more than 30 aircraft and around 3,000 personnel from more than 20 countries participating in the exercise that begins Monday, 12 September 2022. KA22 is a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) led exercise…

Exercise Pitch Black 2022 concluded today, following three weeks of successful training by Australian and international military aircraft over the skies of the Northern Territory. This year’s exercise involved 17 nations, including Australia, with approximately 100 aircraft and 2500 personnel…

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has again partnered with our Pacific family to tackle illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing activity in the South West Pacific during the latest mission conducted under Operation SOLANIA. Supporting the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency’s (FFA)…

The ashes of a Kokoda veteran will be scattered by Australian soldiers as they retrace the steps of the World War II campaign. Members of the 39th Operational Support Battalion (OSB) and 16th Royal Western Australia Regiment (RWAR) will walk the Kokoda Trail to commemorate the 80th anniversary of…

Applications are now open for the 2023 Australian Defence Force (ADF) Cyber Gap Program, which supports students who are studying a cyber-qualification at university or TAFE. The ADF Cyber Gap Program, which is run in partnership with Digital Profession, will continue to deliver on a commitment to…

Australia’s longest running blood challenge, the Defence Blood Challenge (DBC), has been officially launched in Canberra today. Defence personnel will aim to give more than 11,000 donations of lifesaving blood or plasma over the next three months, from 1 September to 8 December 2022. Deputy Chief…

A commemorative event has been held today in Papua New Guinea to honour the 25 Papua New Guineans and Australians who lost their lives in a tragic Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Caribou crash 50 years ago. On 28 August 1972, RAAF Caribou aircraft A4-233 took off from Lau heading to Port Moresby…

Members from the Papua New Guinean and Australian Defence Forces have today joined in a commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea. Attending on behalf of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) was Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Robert Chipman, AM, CSC…

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the French Air and Space Force (FASF) rendezvoused over the Coral Sea on 17 August 2022. Following the FASF’s deployment from France to New Caledonia, travelling over 16,000kms, Dassault Rafale fighters and a Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft were…

The Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) today welcomed thousands of prospective trainee officers, their family and friends, and members of the local community to the Open Day. Australia’s tri-service military training institution opens its doors each year in August for the public to tour the…

The skies over the Top End have filled with aircraft from across the world for the return of Exercise Pitch Black. From today until 8 September, 16 nations will participate alongside Australia during Exercise Pitch Black in an effort to enhance interoperability and develop strong relationships…

F-22 Raptor aircraft from the United States Air Force (USAF) will be visiting the Northern Territory this month as part of the Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC) program. The US aircraft arrived at RAAF Base Tindal yesterday, Thursday 18 August 2022, in preparation for several weeks of EAC program…

Army’s Land Warfare Centre has commemorated the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Kokoda by opening a memorial walkway at Kokoda Barracks, Canungra honouring those who fought during the campaign. The Kokoda Track Walk is a pathway containing a series of plaques with information about the major…