The first of four shows in the largest Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo ever staged will commence this evening at ANZ Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park. The show, which will run until 19 October is set against a full-size replica of Edinburgh Castle. The renowned Scottish spectacular will bring…

Troops from seven South West Pacific nations arrived in Sydney on Royal Australian Air Force service aircraft this weekend to take part in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which will be held from 17 – 19 October at ANZ Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park. United by their universal language of music,…

Delegates from Pacific Island nations’ security agencies came together for the inaugural Joint Heads of Pacific Security event in Brisbane this week. The conference, hosted by the Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell AO DSC, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece P…

Australian Army members have travelled to China to take part in the annual bilateral adventure training Exercise PANDAROO, which begins on Hainan Island today. First held in 2015, Exercise PANDAROO is an example of the constructive military engagement undertaken as part of Australia’s defence…

The Australian Defence Force Rugby League (ADFRL) is conducting a tour in Fiji from 8–12 October alongside the Australian National Rugby League Prime Minister’s XIII teams, the Kangaroos and Jillaroos. This is the first leg of a longer tour which includes Tonga and Samoa. The Fiji Tour will…

The Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) launched its centenary celebrations in Wollongong today, in the lead-up to its 100th anniversary in October 2020. Defence is the lead government body for hydrography in Australia, a role performed by the AHO, the national charting authority.…

Naval Group has signed a subcontract with Schneider Electric France for the design of the Main DC Switchboard for the Attack Class submarines. The Main DC Switchboard controls and manages the distribution of power between the submarine’s diesel generators, batteries, main motor, and auxiliary power…

The Australian Army today held a ceremony at the Army Recruit Training Centre, Kapooka, NSW, to formally lay up the retired Australian Army Banner. The ceremony held in the Blamey Barracks Soldiers Chapel, marked the end of service for the Banner, which was presented to the Army as a gift from the…

Indigenous communities in the East Kimberley received access to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) dental specialists as part of health initiative Exercise Kummundoo 2019, a collaboration with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), which is…

The Defence Innovation Hub has signed a $3.8 million contract with DMTC Limited for collaborative research and development and innovation services. The new contract includes delivery of four projects that will support industrial capability underpinned by technology developments aimed at enhancing…

Defence will partner with Viva Energy Australia to manage the HMAS Cairns fuel facility as part of the Government’s commitment to transform the Defence fuel network. Commander Joint Logistics, Rear Admiral Ian Murray welcomed the partnership and the benefits that this collaboration will bring to…

The Defence Blood Challenge, Australia’s longest-running annual blood drive in support of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service (ARCBS), was officially launched yesterday in Canberra. Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, AO, DSC was joined by Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Michael Noonan, AO,…

The Royal Australian Navy is another step closer to welcoming its new fleet of support tankers into service, following the successful launch of NUSHIP Stalwart at today’s ceremony in Ferrol, Spain. The delivery into service of the Supply class replenishment vessels from next year will provide Navy…

Exercise KOWARI, a trilateral military exercise between Australia, the United States and China begins in North Queensland today. First held in 2014, the annual exercise encourages participating military personnel to work together in the Australian bush to conduct a series of training…

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) continues to build relationships in Samoa through a series of activities with the community as part of the Australian Government’s commitment to the region. Working together with a focus on security and safety, 210 personnel on board HMAS Choules arrived in the…

Prospective trainee officers, family and friends and the local community descended on the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) today for the 27th annual Open Day. Australia’s pre-eminent tri-service military training institution opens its doors each year in August for the public to discover what…

The Royal Australian Air Force welcomed the arrival of the third and final Falcon 7X aircraft to Australia as it completes part of a project to upgrade the Special Purpose Aircraft (SPA) fleet. The Falcon 7X is an advanced business jet designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It includes…

Defence has released its Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Workforce Strategic Vision 2019-2030 in Canberra as part of its celebrations marking National Science Week. Chief Defence Scientist, Professor Tanya Monro, said the Department of Defence will collaborate with industry and…

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems provides an opportunity to make Defence operations more effective, while presenting unique ethical and legal challenges. The Ethical AI for Defence workshop held in Canberra  from 30 July to 1 August 2019, hosted global experts in…

Four Australian tall ships, including the Royal Australian Navy operated STS Young Endeavour, have welcomed Chilean Navy Buque Escuela Esmeralda to Sydney today. STS Young Endeavour, James Craig, Soren Larsen and MV Martindale, accompanied by HMAS Melbourne and HMAS…

The Department of Defence has awarded a $95.5 million contract to IBM to deliver the initial design of the Defence Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) program.The ERP program plans to roll out initial capability for finance reporting in 2020, followed by a larger logistics and maintenance…

The largest Australian-led amphibious landing and offensive assault since the Second World War has taken place off the Central Queensland coast under Exercise Talisman Sabre. Soldiers from Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Japan and New Zealand disembarked from a Combined Expeditionary…

Exercise BOSS LIFT Talisman Sabre 2019 (TS19) flew employers of Air Force health specialist Reservists and key health professionals from across Australia to Central Queensland to experience military life and observe first-hand the health services provided in the field. Participants started at RAAF…

The Royal Australian Air Force starts flying alongside United States Air Force (USAF) F-22 Raptor stealth fighter aircraft today as part of an Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC) activity for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019.   The aim of Enhanced Air Cooperation is to strengthen the ability of…

The Australian Defence Force continues to support the Australian Government’s Pacific Step-Up initiative through the latest series of engagements across the Southwest Pacific and Timor-Leste. Joint Task Force 637 and Her Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Sirius will arrive in Fiji in early July for…

The Royal Australian Navy has celebrated the completion of 25 years of service by HMAS Newcastle at a ceremony to decommission the ship at her home port of Garden Island in Sydney. Since commissioning in 1993, Newcastle had steamed around 815,000 nautical miles, deployed on operations to the Middle…

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has decommissioned the Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment ship HMAS Success, at her home port of Garden Island in Sydney, in a ceremony full of tradition, after more than three decades of service. Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Michael Noonan AO, RAN joined 23rd and…

While deployed to the Middle East Region for Operation MANITOU, HMAS Ballarat has conducted a boarding of a vessel (dhow) in international waters in the Arabian Sea. During the boarding, illicit cargo was discovered and seized which included nearly half a million rounds of small arms ammunition,…

The Department of Defence has not engaged in any classified or unclassified planning with respect to developing, funding or supporting an alternative military, commercial or mixed-use port at Glyde Point or elsewhere in the vicinity of Darwin. This information was provided to journalists last week…

The United States and Australia have agreed on a cross-servicing arrangement for the repair and maintenance of C-17A Globemaster transport aircraft. The arrangement permits C-17A technicians from the United States Air Force (USAF) and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to conduct maintenance…