Australian Naval Base News

The United States commissioned a warship in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday, the first time a U.S. Navy vessel joined active service at a foreign port, as the two close allies step up their military ties in response to China's expanding regional reach.The Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS-30)—named after a Royal Australian Navy cruiser that was sunk while supporting the U.S. Marine landings on Guadalcanal in 1942—was commissioned at a ceremony at an Australian naval base on Sydney Harbour, officially joining the U.S.

A routine inspection this morning of on-base accommodation in the Australian Navy’s naval base HMAS Cerberus resulted in suspected hazardous material being located in a residential unit. A 400-meter safety zone was established around the accommodation block as a precaution. Victoria Police attended the scene and assessed that there was no suspicious material. However, there were some hazardous items identified which Australian Defense does not permit to be stored in on-base accommodation. A Defense member was taken for questioning by Victoria Police, but was later released without charge.

A new treaty formalizes defence co-opertation between the UK and Australia, parties agree to consider mutual frigate design. The recently signed treaty in Perth sees the two countries working together in areas such as cyber security, defence reform, personnel exchange, equipment, and science and technology. During the trip, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond visited the Australian Naval Base and BAE Systems shipyard in Perth where they discussed a range of issues relating to the sustainment and development of Australia’s submarine programme and future shipbuilding.