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Raytheon to Provide Combat System Engineering Support Services

October 9, 2019 seawaves

October 8, 2019 – Raytheon will provide combat system engineering support services to the Royal Australian Navy for up to six years following a new agreement with Defence. The Liberal and National Government is committed to providing the Australian Defence Force with the best capability to defend Australia’s national interests. Under this new agreement, Raytheon Australia will support Defense’s upgrades to surface ship combat systems by providing engineering and logistics services. This will capitalize on existing knowledge, skills, systems and processes developed by Raytheon Australia through the Hobart class Destroyer…

The Tracker has Landed

October 9, 2019 seawaves

October 6, 2019 – After months of intensive testing and preparation a Grumman Tracker (844) flew, for the first time since 1998, from HMAS Albatross to her new home at the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society Aviation Museum at Illawarra Regional Airport. With the Tracker now at home in the museum, visitors will have the opportunity to view a flying icon of Naval Aviation History. Fleet Air Arm Museum Manager Stuart Harwood said it was a heartwarming sight. “Previously I was the volunteer manager of the Royal Australian Navy Historic Flight,…

Thinking Navy Approach – Sea Power in Focus at Sydney Summit

October 5, 2019 seawaves

October 4, 2019 – Navy members of all ranks are being encouraged to attend the Royal Australian Navy’s most important international engagement of the year: Sea Power Conference 2019 (Sea Power 2019). With a packed conference program that starts on Tuesday, Sea Power 2019 will see some of the world’s most prominent military and academic minds come together for three days of robust discussions and presentations on maritime matters and the Royal Australian Navy’s role in contributing to maritime security in the Indo-Pacific. Held every two years, Sea Power 19…

U.S., Allied Forces Complete EOD Exercise Hydracrab 2019

September 2, 2019September 2, 2019 seawaves

August 31, 2019 – Expeditionary forces from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States completed exercise Hydracrab 2019, Aug. 31. Hydracrab was a first-of-its-kind quadrilateral exercise with key partner nations, which began Aug. 19 and spanned two weeks. The exercise aimed to prepare allied explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) forces to operate as an integrated, capable force in the changing and complex maritime Indo-Pacific region. “During the inaugural EOD Hydracrab exercise, our teams took on an incredible compilation of highly-realistic unit level drills, and several tactics exchanges,” said Cmdr. Andrew…

Divers Take Part in Exercise Hydracrab in Guam

August 21, 2019August 21, 2019 seawaves

Paluma Assumes First Lady Mantle

August 6, 2019 seawaves

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…

The Green Ghost and Cobra 16 Combine

August 2, 2019 seawaves

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…

Exercise Talisman Sabre Concludes

July 29, 2019 seawaves

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.…

Show of Force

July 24, 2019 seawaves

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…

Ships converge for Talisman Sabre 2019

July 12, 2019July 12, 2019 seawaves

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…

NZDF Joining Multi-National Military Exercise in Australia

July 12, 2019 seawaves

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…

Fleet Sails for Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2019

July 11, 2019July 30, 2019 seawaves

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…

Talisman Sabre 2019 – Largest Ever Bilateral Defence Exercise Begins

July 10, 2019 seawaves

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…

Sea Series delivers a series of firsts

July 2, 2019 seawaves

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…

HMAS Ballarat conducts boarding

July 1, 2019 seawaves

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…