Celebrating 25 Years
September 21, 2020 – Upgraded weather forecasting technology for Royal Australian Navy meteorologists is getting its first lengthy sea trial during the Regional Presence Deployment 20 (RPD20), offering a boost to capability with quicker and more accurate information. The role of deployed Meterology and Oceangraphic (METOC) teams is to provide timely advice to Command about the environment’s effect on weapons,…
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September 15, 2020 – Work on the Morrison Government’s Hunter Class Frigate Program is progressing as the prototyping phase of the program approaches. The prime contractor for the Program, ASC Shipbuilding, has signed a contract with South Australian Company Infrabuild Steel Centre to support the manufacturing of the frigates at the Osborne South shipyard. The contract is for the supply…
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September 14, 2020 – Thales Australia and Flinders University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct a study into the development of an automation system for the launch and recovery process of the General Dynamics Mission Systems Bluefin 9, procured by the Royal Australian Navy under its Deployable Mine Counter Measures project. Current launch and recovery processes for AUVs…
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August 24, 2020 – Force protection training onboard HMAS Ballarat has taken a lifesaving spin, with the Boatswain Mates treated to a dedicated exercise on how to save themselves, and their mates, while under battle fire. The training exercise was undertaken in preparation for Ballarat’s Unit Readiness Evaluation (URE), and later Mission Readiness Evaluation (MRE). It taught the front line…
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August 18, 2020 – Four Royal Australian Navy vessels and almost 700 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel have arrived in Hawaii ahead of two weeks of training involving 10 nations during Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2020 (RIMPAC). Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said Australia’s participation in this year’s RIMPAC exercise reflects our close alliance with…
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August 4, 2020 – The Morrison Government is investing up to $1.3 billion in a new Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) development program to enhance situational awareness across Australia’s vast maritime environment. The Maritime UAS Continuous Development program will ensure Defence maintains leading-edge maritime surveillance capabilities. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said Defence requires leading-edge maritime surveillance…
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July 22, 2020 – Austal Limited is pleased to announce that Australia’s Defence Industry Minister, the Honle Melissa Price MP, officially ‘cut metal’ on the second of six new Cape-class patrol boats to be constructed by Austal Australia for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The plate cutting of the second vessel follows the award of the A$324 million contract for…
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Photo and text by Chris Sattler The RAN is presently attempting to bring into service – along with its contractor Thales – a ‘grab bag’ of deployable systems under Project 1778 ( Task Group MCM Phase 1) consisting of three medium sized ‘Bluefin 12’ autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), four smaller ‘Bluefin 9’ AUVs, five Steber 12 meter boats (based on…
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July 5, 2020 – The Australian Defence Force (ADF) today begins a regional deployment to conduct exercises within Southeast Asia and Hawaii over the coming months. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said the regional deployment demonstrated Australia’s enduring commitment to the Indo-Pacific and to the increasing capability of the ADF. “It’s important during global challenges that…
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