Australian Army News

On Friday, 20 February, Austal Defence Australia and Damen Shipyards Group signed a contract supporting the local construction of Landing Ship Transport (LST) 100 vessels for the Australian Defence Force. Under the agreement, Damen will provide the design and associated licences, enabling Austal to build the vessels at its Henderson shipyard in Western Australia.The signing ceremony took place at the Australian Marine Complex Common User Facility (AMC CUF) in Henderson and was…

The United States will be able to use planned defence facilities in Western Australia that are to help deliver nuclear-powered submarines under the trilateral AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Sunday.Australia will spend A$12 billion ($8 billion) to upgrade facilities at the Henderson shipyard near Perth, as part of a 20-year plan to transform it into the maintenance hub for its AUKUS submarine fleet, the government said on Saturday.The AUKUS pact, sealed by Australia, Britain and the U.S. in 2021, aims to provide Australia with attack submarines from the next decade to counter China's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.President Donald Trump's administration is undertaking a formal review of the pact led by Elbridge Colby…

The Australian Government is accelerating the delivery of a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet with the selection of the upgraded Japanese Mogami-class frigate as the preferred platform for the Royal Australian Navy’s future fleet of general purpose frigates.Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Mogami-class frigate was assessed as best able to quickly meet the capability requirements and strategic needs of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).The upgraded Mogami-class frigate boasts a range of up to 10…

Australia is scrambling to deploy new long-range missiles as the recent arrival of powerful Chinese warships off the Australian coast delivers a sharp reminder of Beijing’s growing naval muscle.In a move to boost military firepower, Canberra plans to arm Australian soldiers with anti-ship missiles and advanced targeting radars to protect the country’s vast maritime approaches, according to contract announcements as well as a flurry of recent official speeches and ministerial statements.Two…

Australia said on Wednesday it would invest billions of dollars over the next two decades to expand a shipyard in Western Australia that would become the maintenance hub for its nuclear-powered AUKUS submarine fleet.The government will make an initial investment of A$127 million ($85 million) over three years to upgrade facilities at the Henderson shipyard near Perth, Defense Minister Richard Marles said in a statement."The Defense Precinct at Henderson will optimize Australia's…

BMT has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DNV that will accelerate BMT’s development of an Australian version of our CAIMEN® Large Design for the future Landing Craft – Heavy (LC-H) program for the Australian Army.Under this MoU, DNV will work with BMT throughout the process of tailoring the CAIMEN Large, to meet the Australian Army’s future requirements. DNV’s insights will ensure that BMT are able to identify and manage technical risk, minimizing schedule impacts…

MAN Energy Solutions and Doen WaterJets (DOEN) have agreed to join forces to offer a fully integrated propulsion system solution to the Australian Army’s LAND 8710 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel Phase 1A (LMV-M) program.The program aims to acquire a medium landing craft suitable for a range of missions in Australia’s northern waters and beyond.The cooperation spans the full product lifecycle including propulsion system design, integrated logistics support and commissioning, through…

Raytheon Australia, BMT and Austal Australia are working together in a bid to deliver the new Australian Independent Littoral Maneuver Vessel, or ILMV, for the Australian Army.If selected to deliver the Army’s LAND 8710-1A program, Raytheon Australia will lead the team to deliver the BMT-designed vessel, which will be built by Austal at the Henderson shipyard in Western Australia. Thee Australian ILMV is based on a proven design and tailored for the Australian environment, the Australian ILMV.BMT Senior Business Development Manager…

About two dozen cases of COVID-19 have been recorded among the crew of an Australian warship expected to arrive in coronavirus-free Tonga on Wednesday to deliver humanitarian aid, Australian authorities said on Tuesday.Tonga, hit by a massive volcanic eruption and a tsunami on Jan. 15, has asked for aid to be delivered without human contact amid concerns a COVID outbreak would be devastating for the tiny Pacific island nation.Australia's Defense Minister Peter Dutton said 23 personnel aboard the HMAS Adelaide have tested positive for COVID.

Melanie Olsen is harnessing 10 years of missile defense and electronic warfare systems expertise to drive rapid technological innovation in marine research and monitoring. Today, on International Women in Engineering Day, the AIMS Team Leader for Technology Development Engineering shares her unique journey.Growing up in a third-generation farming family near the small settlement of El Arish in north Queensland, Melanie Olsen thought engineers were train drivers.When a James Cook University engineering lecturer visited her small rural high school with a quad helicopter…

A group of warships departed Sydney on 4 September to participate in a series of key military exercises throughout the Indo-Pacific region – grouped as Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2017. Running from 4 September to 26 November, Indo-Pacific Endeavour will focus on enhancing military cooperation with some of Australia’s key regional partners including Brunei, Cambodia, the Federated States of Micronesia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste. More than 1,200 Australian Defence Force personnel will participate, which is being led by Canberra class amphibious ship HMAS Adelaide.

Australia’s amphibious capability was put to the test recently as the Amphibious Task Group Headquarters took charge of the largest amphibious assault conducted by an Australian force for 70 years as part of Exercise TALISMAN SABER. The assault, led from amphibious sssault ship HMAS Canberra, was a significant milestone in the Australian Defence Force’s development of a high end amphibious warfare capability. The Australian and New Zealand Amphibious Ready Group, consisting of HMA Ships Canberra and Choules and the Royal New Zealand Navy’s HMNZS Canterbury, landed 600 embarked personnel, predominantly consisting of the Australian Army's 2nd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, as part of a flanking force for the US Marine Corps’ 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

More than 33,000 U.S. and Australian personnel will participate in the biennial military training exercise Talisman Sabre 2015 in Australia July 4-19. Talisman Sabre, jointly sponsored by the U.S. Pacific Command and Australian Defence Force Headquarters Joint Operations Command, will incorporate U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force and the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, and Royal Australian Air Force as well as other government agencies from each country. Featuring 21 ships, including the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) and more than 200 aircraft and three submarines, this sixth iteration of the exercise will focus on joint training of a combined task force of U.S.

The maritime wing of the Australian Army purchased and installed a VSTEP simulator classroom for landing craft operations and navigation training at its Townsville base in Queensland. According to VSTEP, the simulator purchase was made following an enquiry from the Australian Defense Force (ADF) and Bohemia Interactive Simulations, a global software company providing simulation training solutions for military and civilian organizations. As a developer of certified maritime simulators…

More than 800 Australian Navy, Army and Air Force personnel are on their way home after taking part in RIMPAC, the world’s largest naval exercise, which concluded in Hawaii today. Australia sent the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ship HMAS Success and Submarine HMAS Sheean, a rifle company from 5th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment and three Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion aircraft to the exercise to conduct military training with defense forces from 21 other Pacific Rim nations.

NAMJet’s tractor jets seal the deal on a significant military boat building contract. The Army’s one-of-a-kind bridge erection boats fill an obscure, shallow draft workboat niche, while showcasing capabilities that someday could be commercially viable. When the U.S. Army turned to industry in its quest to design the next generation, prototype bridge erection boat, the ensuing competition attracted no less than three industry competition teams, all of whom eventually submitted prototypes in 2010. Birdon America, Inc., teaming with a (now) wholly owned NAMJet propulsion group, was one of the players. These models were then handed over to the U.S. Army for extensive testing. Eventually, in March of this year, Birdon won the US Army Bridge Erection Boat (BEB) platform contract.

Traveling to both Brisbane and the Australian capital Canberra, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus met with U.S. and Australian government and military officials to reinforce the alliance between the two countries. Mabus' visit represents a continuation of the Department of the Navy's focus on building partnerships designed to help distribute the burden of securing the global maritime domain based on alliances, shared values and mutual trust. "The United States and Australia have an historic and extensive relationship…

VSTEP delivers a Nautis DNV Class A FMB simulator to Seafood and Maritime Industries Training (SMIT) in Darwin, Australia for specialized ship handling, maneuvering and Radar training of coxswains. SMIT focuses on training of maritime personnel aboard fishing and recreational vessels. The company selected a Nautis DNV Class A Full Mission Bridge simulator, which allows specialized navigation and ship handling training of coxswains and maritime personnel alike in full compliance with the latest STCW requirements. The simulator features a 240° field of view and an additional projected stern view, as well as a Kelvin Hughes Radar system for advanced radar simulation and training. A Nautis Instructor Station was also delivered with the Class A simulator.

By Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Michael D. Kennedy, Fleet Public Affairs Center Det. In preparation for Talisman Saber 2007 (TS07), Sailors and embarked Marines aboard USS Juneau (LPD 10) are learning environmental protection measures to safely preserve Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The main operating area for the exercise -- which will bring together nearly 32,000 U.S.-Australian forces for training -- is in Shoalwater Bay Training Area. The 1,000 square mile area near the Barrier Reef has a high environmental value. The area is administered by the Australian Army to ensure sound environmental practices are observed.

The U.S. Navy's Expeditionary Strike Group 7 ships left Brisbane, Australia, on June 10, while amphibious ships of Royal Australian Navy began the embarkation of Australian soldiers in northern neighbor Townsville, launching the force integration training (FIT) phase of Talisman Saber 2007 (TS07). TS07 is a joint and combined exercise demonstrating and improving on the U.S.-Australian military alliance that will feature crisis action planning and the execution of contingency response operations in land, sea and air maneuvers. More than 20,000 U.S. and 12,000 Australian personnel will participate in the military training exercise set to enhance interoperability and regional stability.