The Royal Australian Navy’s longest serving ship, HMAS Success (II) today completed her final voyage after 33 years’ service to Australia. Success, an 18,000 tonne Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment ship, almost 160 meters in length and known as ‘The Battle Tanker’, was the last vessel built for the…

Vice Admiral David Johnston AO, RAN Vice Chief of the Defence Force   ***CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY***   (Acknowledgements omitted) When I started thinking what might 2025 look like, my mind leapt into the future – something like a Jetsons cartoon episode. Then followed reality… 2025 is under…

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) today celebrated the completion of the final overseas deployment by an Adelaide Class guided missile frigate, with HMAS Newcastle arriving back in Australia. Commander Australian Fleet Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead AM, RAN, said the Adelaide Class frigates have been an…

The Royal Australian Navy’s oldest Adelaide Class warship, HMAS Melbourne (III), has returned to Australia from her final overseas mission. The 138 metre-long Guided Missile Frigate arrived at Gladstone Port in Queensland today, following a three month deployment throughout the Asia-Pacific region…

The Iraqi Army School of Infantry Non-Commissioned Officer II (SINCO II) marked a significant milestone last week by achieving Initial Operating Capability ahead of schedule.The School, based at the Taji Military Complex, 20 kilometres north of Baghdad, can now conduct 75 per cent of its training…

Royal Australian Navy Frigate HMAS Ballarat has seized another four illicit drug shipments in three days while deployed to the Middle East region. The four boardings took place over the period 2–5 June 2019, as Ballarat conducted a routine patrol in the Arabian Sea in support of the Combined…

An Australian KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft has recommenced operations in the Middle East. The KC-30A deployment is part of Operation OKRA, supporting the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve mission to defeat Daesh. Despite its territorial defeat, Daesh continues to pose a security…

A two-week military field exercise has been completed this week, consisting of over 700 Australian Defence Force, United States Marine Rotational Force-Darwin and Japan Self Defense Force soldiers and marines. Exercise Southern Jackaroo provided soldiers and marines the opportunity to complete…

Defence has selected seven innovative research proposals from Australian universities and industry to develop and integrate advanced materials that will provide enhanced protection for military platforms. Research will enable the development of new adhesives for joining high temperature structures…

Over 360 Australian, United States and Philippine soldiers and marines have completed their final urban assault mission at a fictional town in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. Exercise Carabaroo involved static live-fire range shoots and blank fire training in urban operations training…

Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) personnel have successfully fired two FH-70 howitzers out to 25 kilometres while in Australia. This marks a historic first for the JGSDF, as there is no military range large enough in Japan to conduct such a long-range firing activity.  Japan’s…

The first iteration of Exercise Pacific Vanguard was successfully held off the coast of Guam over the period 22-28 May 2019. Exercise Pacific Vanguard is a combined maritime exercise involving key regional defence partners from Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States.…

Senior members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have visited Horn and Thursday Islands in Far North Queensland, attending a ceremony honouring those who served on the islands during World War Two. Led by Officer Commanding 84 Wing, Group Captain Nicholas Hogan, the Air Force contingent…

The crew of HMAS Ballarat has stopped illegal narcotics in excess of AUD$1 billion from funding terrorism and other illegal activity. The Australian Navy frigate recently seized over 12.9 tonnes of hashish, 1.4 tonnes of heroin and a small amount of methyl amphetamines, with a combined worth of AUD…

The Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 (IPE 19) Joint Task Force has returned to Australia following a three-month regional engagement mission to South and South East Asia.  The flagship HMAS Canberra will anchor off Darwin tomorrow, having visited seven nations since March 2019 during the third IPE…

More than 2000 personnel, 100 aircraft and the next generation of Air Force Air Warfare Instructors are returning to their home bases after being tested to the limit during Exercise Diamond Storm in the Northern Territory. The exercise is the final stage of an intensive three-phase Air Warfare…

Defence has signed a 3-year collaboration agreement with universities and industry to develop new acoustic materials that will make Australian submarines harder to detect. The $1.5 million Defence Science and Technology (DST) agreement, supported by the Next Generation Technologies Fund, will…

The Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 (IPE 19) Joint Task Force has begun its engagement program in Indonesia during the final port visits before returning to Australia later this month. HMA Ships Canberra and Newcastle arrived in Jakarta on 18 May, with HMAS Success visiting Makassar in South Sulawesi…

The Australian Defence Force Rugby League (ADF RL) has completed a successful tour in Tonga, where ADF personnel conducted training and coaching clinics with junior players and His Majesty’s Armed Forces (HMAF) players, from 15 to 17 May 2019. Building on the Australian National Rugby League’s…

Naval vessels from Australia, France, Japan and the United States are set to commence the first iteration of the French-led maritime exercise La Perouse in the Indian Ocean. Exercise La Perouse will consist of two Royal Australian Navy units, the helicopter frigate HMAS Toowoomba and…

The Defence Estate and Infrastructure Group (E&IG) have today handed over ownership of the new Space Surveillance Telescope Building to the Defence Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG).The completed building and supporting facilities, located in Exmouth, Western Australia, are an…

The Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 (IPE 19) Joint Task Force has departed Singapore for Jakarta, Indonesia, concluding its involvement in the International Maritime Defence Expo & Conference (IMDEX Asia). Commander IPE 19 Joint Task Force, Air Commodore Rick Owen said IPE played a crucial…

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat has intercepted another 2.6 tonnes of illicit drugs while conducting a patrol in international waters in the Arabian Sea. The seizures, including approximately 2.5 tonnes of hashish and 135kg of heroin, were discovered in two vessels suspected of…

Following a request from the United Nations Command, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has deployed a small number of military personnel to the Korean Peninsula to support the implementation of the inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement. The Comprehensive Military Agreement, signed by the…

The one week tour of Tonga by Australian Army Rugby Union (AARU) culminated on game day, with matches between the men’s and women’s elite defence teams on 11 May 2019.Throughout the week the AARU trained with His Majesty’s Armed Forces players, played in a 7’s tournament, engaged with local school…

The first Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessel has reached a significant milestone today with the ceremonial keel laying at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide.Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral Michael Noonan AO, RAN positioned a coin to commemorate the laying of the keel for the…

A fighting force of tanks, helicopters, armoured reconnaissance vehicles, and infantry soldiers have showcased Australian Army’s joint combined arms capabilities during a live fire demonstration at Exercise Chong Ju in Puckapunyal, Victoria.Spectators witnessed the versatile and decisive force of…

Senior Defence officials will travel to Fiji this week to take part in the South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) in Nadi on 9 May 2019.   Secretary of Defence, Mr Greg Moriarty, will represent the Minister for Defence at this year’s SPDMM. The Chief of the Defence Force, General…

The Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 (IPE 19) Joint Task Force is continuing its international engagement activities with the arrival of two ships in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam.HMA Ships Canberra and Newcastle’s port call follows the recent signing in November of the Joint Vision Statement on enhancing…

HMAS Gascoyne has farewelled Tonga and Tuvalu following a month-long deployment to the Southwest Pacific region.More than 60 Australian Defence Force personnel travelled to the island nations between 8 April and 4 May 2019, conducting activities to support peace, security and the sovereignty, of…