Australia-Japan bilateral exercise Ends
Ships and aircraft from the Royal Australian Navy and Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) have completed the bilateral Exercise NICHI GOU TRIDENT off the coast of New South Wales. HMA Ships Ballarat, Adelaide and Success along with JMSDF destroyers JS Umigiri, JS Asayuki and submarine, JS Hakuryu, conducted a range of activities including anti-submarine warfare, ship handling and aviation operations as well as activities with Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion and Hawk 127 aircraft. Australian Exercise Director, Captain Brian Schlegel said the successful interactions were especially important for the navies at a working level. Australia and Japan conduct regular exercises, including NICHI GOU TRIDENT and the biennial Exercise KAKADU.
Australian Warship Returns from Billion-Dollar Drug Interdiction
Families, friends and well-wishers joined Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert and Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs AO, CSC, RAN at Garden Island, Sydney to welcome home HMAS Melbourne from a successful Middle East mission. Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert congratulated the 232-strong shipâs company of HMAS Melbourne on her successful deployment, which saw her intercept more than $1 billion in illegal drugs. Commanding Officer HMAS MelbourneâŚ
Australian Warship Thwarts Arabian Sea Drug Smugglers
Australian personnel onboard 'HMAS Melbourne' have seized and destroyed amphetamines valued at approximately $11.3-million during two separate boardings over the past week in the Arabian Sea as part of the Combined Maritime Forces. Approximately $6.2 million of amphetamines was discovered during the first boarding on 13 December 2013 and a further quantity valued at $5.1-million was found when a second vessel was boarded on 16 December 2013. On both occasions, a boarding partyâŚ
Task Force Brings Somali Pirate Tankship Attackers to Book
The Combined Maritime Forces operation was co-ordinated from the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel 'Fort Victoria' with support from Australian ship HMAS Melbourne, South Korean destroyer ROKS Wang Geon, European Union flagship HNLMS Johan de Witt and a Seychelles-based maritime patrol aircraft from Luxembourg. The task force had been searching for the pirates since they attacked and exchanged gunfire with the supertanker âIsland Splendorâ on Friday, 11 October 2013. Three days later a Spanish fishing vessel was also attacked by what was suspected to be the same pirates.
Australian Navy Apprehends Suspected Pirates
Royal Australian Navy ship, HMAS Melbourne, has intercepted alleged pirates off the coast of Somalia as part of maritime security patrols in Middle Eastern waters for Operation SLIPPER. The suspected pirates were intercepted on October 15, 2013 after the Combined Maritime Forces received two reports of attempted acts of piracy against two separate merchant vessels during the previous four days. Under the direction of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF151), HMAS Melbourne was appointed as on-scene commander for a multi-national search operationâŚ
Australian Warship Sails for Middle East
Family and friends joined dignitaries on the wharf at Garden Island, Sydney today to wave goodbye to 'HMAS Melbourne', as she departed for a tour of duty to the Middle East Area of Operations. Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Tim Barrett, AM, CSC RAN and Minister for Defence Science and Personnel Warren Snowdon, bid the Royal Australian Navy Frigate a safe passage as she began a six-month deployment focussed on maritime security and interception operations as part of Operation SlipperâŚ
