Tag: RAN

Paluma Assumes First Lady Mantle

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August 6, 2019 – HMAS Paluma has been formally recognised as the ‘First Lady of the Fleet’, assuming the title of longest serving ship in the Royal Australian Navy. Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead handed a perpetual trophy to Paluma’s ship’s company at her homeport in Cairns. Paluma became the First Lady of the Fleet following the decommissioning of HMAS Success after 33 years of service. Paluma was commissioned on 27 February 1989 and has sailed 421,000 nautical miles over the past 30 years, primarily charting the coastal waters…

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The Green Ghost and Cobra 16 Combine

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August 2, 2019 – Two of Navy’s newest cutting-edge platforms have combined, with the air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart embarking an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and standing up an aviation department for the first time for first-of-class flight trials. Hobart – nicknamed the ‘Green Ghost’ – has been carrying out trials with the aircraft from 816 Squadron – dubbed ‘COBRA 16’ – off the coast of New South Wales, establishing operating limits and testing recent upgrades to the ship under the AIR9000 project. Personnel from Navy’s Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Trials…

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Exercise Talisman Sabre Concludes

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July 27, 2019 – The closing ceremony for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 has been held in the Port of Brisbane today, marking the conclusion of Australia’s largest bilateral defence exercise with the United States. Over 1,000 personnel embarked on the USS Wasp to formally close the exercise and farewell those who participated over the past two weeks. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said Talisman Sabre was a major success, increasing interoperability between the Australian and United States defence forces, and strengthening ties with other participating nations.…

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Show of Force

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July 12, 2019 – In a demonstration of combat power, 17 warships from four nations united at first light to conduct a close-in formation at the opening stages of Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2019. Amphibious Assault Ship USS Wasp and Aircraft Carrier USS Ronald Reagan led the fleet with Australia’s Landing Helicopter Docks HMA Ships Adelaide and Canberra and Japan’s helicopter destroyer JS Ise formed up in close proximity. Other warships from Canada, Japan, the United States and Australia, including the frigates HMA Ships Melbourne and Parramatta, escorted the show of…

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Ships converge for Talisman Sabre 2019

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July 11, 2019 – Seventeen ships from the United States, Australia, Canada and Japan sailed together in formation for a massive photo exercise July 10, to signify the beginning of naval maneuvers as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019. This year’s Talisman Sabre is focused on defending the rights, freedoms, and uses of the sea, air, space and cyberspace guaranteed to all nations under international law and considered essential to prosperity, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region. “Interoperability and working alongside allies and partners really is the future, particularly…

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NZDF Joining Multi-National Military Exercise in Australia

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July 1, 2019 (released July 10, 2019) – More than 600 New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel, 27 New Zealand Army light armoured vehicles, three Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopters and Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Canterbury are on their way to Australia for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019. This is the third time New Zealand has been invited to take part in the exercise, which is a bilateral, Australian-hosted and United States-supported combined exercise that is held every two years to improve combat readiness, exercise war fighting…

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Fleet Sails for Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2019

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July 10, 2019 – Australian, United States, Japanese and New Zealand naval vessels have sailed for Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2019 following an opening ceremony in Brisbane this week. The ceremony, held in the Port of Brisbane on the US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, formally launched Australia’s largest bilateral exercise with the United States of America. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds, CSC, said the exercise was designed to enhance combat readiness and interoperability between the Australian and United States Armed Forces. “This premier military engagement…

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Talisman Sabre 2019 – Largest Ever Bilateral Defence Exercise Begins

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July 7, 2019 – The opening ceremony for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 has been held in the Port of Brisbane today on the USS Ronald Reagan to formally launch Australia’s largest bilateral exercise with the United States. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said the exercise was designed to enhance combat readiness and interoperability between the Australian and United States Armed Forces. “This premier military engagement reflects the strength of the Australia-US alliance and the closeness of our military to military relationship,” Minister Reynolds said. “Exercise Talisman…

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Sea Series delivers a series of firsts

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June 29, 2019 – In 2005, the then Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Shalders, described amphibious warfare as “the most complex proposition for the future of Australian Defence Force combat power development to 2025.” Fourteen years later in Exercises SEA EXPLORER and SEA RAIDER, Navy and the broader Australian Defence Force have demonstrated how they’ve stepped up to the challenge. These amphibious exercises were held in littoral areas between Townsville and Cairns in the lead up the multi-national exercise TALISMAN SABRE, to be held in July. The activities demonstrated…

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HMAS Ballarat conducts boarding

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June 28, 2019 – 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, and 697 bags of chemical fertilizer. The fertilizer has possible dual use for the manufacture of improvised explosives. This seizure is of significant concern to maritime security, in particular the illicit proliferation of ammunition and chemicals which could be…

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Hunter-Class Frigate Program maximises opportunities for local suppliers

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June 28, 2019 – The Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Melissa Price MP, is encouraging Australian businesses to back themselves and get involved in the Hunter-Class Frigate Program. The Minister welcomed advice that more than 100 Australian suppliers have attended a procurement update in Adelaide to see how they can tap into the prototyping phase of the project, which will begin in 2020. Defence industry businesses that supply minor equipment, material and services can support the first tranche of work, worth an estimated $20 million, as part of the…

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Navy projects from east to west

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July 24, 2019 – The month of May saw the Royal Australian Navy engage and prove the capability to sustain multiple task groups from east to west across the Indo-Pacific, with three task groups simultaneously operating in the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and South East Asia. While the INDO-PACIFIC ENDEAVOUR maritime task group was undertaking the final legs of their IPE 19 deployment, other RAN fleet units were engaged in Exercise LA PEROUSE in the Northeast Indian Ocean and Exercise PACIFIC VANGUARD in the Pacific Ocean near Guam. Navy’s…

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Navy celebrates 190 years on Garden Island

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June 14, 2019 – One hundred and ninety years of Navy presence on the unique shores of Garden Island, Western Australia was celebrated recently at HMAS Stirling. The event, which was attended by a number of dignitaries including the Governor of Western Australia, The Hon Kim Beazley AC; previous commanding officers, and serving members and families, took place at the Sir James Stirling Mess, named after the Royal Navy officer who first landed on the island on 7 June 1829. Stirling’s Commanding Officer Captain Ainsley Morthorpe said he was still…

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HMAS Newcastle completes final international deployment

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June 12, 2019 – 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 indispensable part of Navy’s role in protecting Australia’s maritime interests for almost forty years. “Adelaide Class ships have formed the backbone of many Navy operations since 1980, serving with distinction on complex missions and cementing our reputation as one of the…

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