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…

The latest in Australian science and technology is on show at the Chief of Army Symposium in Adelaide. Over three days the Symposium’s Army Future Forum, Army Innovation Day, Army Robotics Expo and Army Quantum Technology Challenge will explore ideas and potential developments between Army,…

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will deploy aircraft and personnel to New Zealand for Exercise RAVEN KAHU which will occur from 8 to 19 August 2022. Exercise RAVEN KAHU is a combined training exercise involving RAAF and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) aircraft and personnel. This exercise…

The Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) participation in the world’s largest international maritime exercise has come to an end. The biennial Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) was conducted in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California from 29 June to 4 August 2022, and featured 38…

United States Air Force (USAF) MC-130J Commando II aircraft will conduct training across New South Wales from August 1 to 26 for Exercise Teak Action 22. The exercise will be based at RAAF Base Richmond, and will focus its flying activity in Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains, RAAF Base…

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is upgrading and extending its air combat training support to bolster the RAAF’s aviation capability into the future. Director General Aerospace Combat Systems, Air Commodore Leanne Lee, said Defence has signed a new $109.7 million training services contract…

Commander of United States military forces in the Indo-Pacific, Admiral John C. Aquilino, visited RAAF Base Amberley today while in Australia for the 24th annual Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense (CHODs) conference. Admiral Aquilino engaged with senior Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) leadership and…

Defence has established the Geospatial Goods and Services Standing Offer Panel (GeoPanel) to procure Geospatial goods, services and relevant emerging geospatial technologies from approved industry providers. The GeoPanel provides the framework for Australian Defence Organisation and Defence…

Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, AO, DSC, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, and Commander U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Chris Aquilino addressed the media during their attendance at the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense (CHODS) Conference in Sydney.…

Aircraft and personnel from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have arrived in the United States to participate in Exercise Red Flag Alaska. The United States Pacific Air Forces-led large force employment exercise is designed to replicate a high-end combat environment. Task Unit Commander,…

The 24th annual Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense (CHODs) conference will be held in Sydney from 25 to 27 July 2022. The conference will be co-hosted by Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus J. Campbell, AO, DSC and Commander U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral John C. Aquilino, providing senior…

Defence has announced the launch of the Safeguarding Australia through Biotechnology Response and Engagement alliance (SABRE) at the inaugural Australian Defence Science Technology and Research Summit (ADSTAR) SABRE offers significant opportunities by bringing together different perspectives of…

The recipients of the inaugural More, Together awards for excellence have been announced at the Australian Defence Science, Technology and Research Summit (ADSTAR). These prestigious awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of organisations, teams and individuals who consistently collaborate,…

The Fijian Government officially opened the newly re-constructed Lekutu Secondary School today, two years after it was destroyed by tropical cyclones Yasa and Ana. At the request of the Fijian Government, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) deployed specialist personnel to support the Republic of…

There is no place for sexual misconduct in Defence. All allegations are taken very seriously. Incidents of sexual misconduct do not align with Defence values. Defence acknowledges our previous failures to adequately handle sexual misconduct incidents. Defence is committed to doing better.…

Defence is continuing to support original, independent research and public policy engagement with the opening of the 2023 Strategic Policy Grants Program (SPGP) round today. The SPGP, now in its fifth year, broadens public debate, strengthens Defence’s partnerships, and informs Defence’s strategic…

Australia’s Chief Defence Scientist Professor Tanya Monro has announced that Airbus has been selected as the strategic partner for Defence’s Resilient Multi-mission Space STaR Shot – a strategic research program established to develop future space capabilities for the Australian Defence Force (ADF…