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Hmas Newcastle News

16 Nov 2017

Newcastle’s Operations Complete

HMAS Newcastle has rounded out her busy six-month deployment to the Middle East, completing some ‘firsts’ and ‘lasts’ for Australian Navy ships in the region. During her demanding deployment, she patrolled about 25,500 nautical miles or five times the distance around Australia. She conducted a range of Combined Maritime Forces operations, including an attachment in support of the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and trialled emerging naval capabilities. Commanding Officer, Commander Mark Sirois said the deployment included many highlights. “During our attachment to the US 5th Fleet and USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group we conducted escort operations and a range of manoeuvres with US Navy ships,” he said.

21 Sep 2017

Newcastle Completes Operations with US 5th Fleet

HMAS Newcastle has completed an attachment with the US Navy’s 5th Fleet in the Arabian Gulf while deployed on maritime security operations in the Middle East region. During the two-week attachment supporting the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11), Newcastle conducted escort operations and a range of naval manoeuvres with USN ships. Commander of Australian Forces in the Middle East, Major General John Frewen, said Newcastle’s role directly supported the international effort to ensure a free and open global maritime trading system covering some of the world’s most important sea lines of communication. “Royal Australian Navy ships and personnel have conducted maritime security operations in the Middle East for the past 27 years…

14 Aug 2017

HMAS Newcastle Joins Cousin for Replenishment

HMAS Newcastle has marked her second Operation MANITOU patrol with a dual replenishment at sea in the Gulf of Aden with USNS Kanawha and Pakistan Navy Ship Alamgir. The resupply presented Newcastle with the opportunity to operate with another Oliver Hazard Perry class (called Adelaide class in Australia) ship, in Alamgir. Newcastle’s embarked MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopter launched to record the evolution from the air and for Seaman Boatswain Ben Robertson, it was another highlight in what has so far been “a surreal experience” on operational deployment. “To stand there, so incredibly close to a gigantic American replenishment ship with a cool warship on the other side was just unbelievable,” Seaman Robertson said.

13 Jul 2017

HMAS Newcastle Visits India

Making her way north to commence duties as part of Operation MANITOU, HMAS Newcastle made a port visit to Cochin, India, further strengthening relationships recently made on exercise off Fremantle. As a continuation of Exercise AUSINDEX, the visit allowed for the strengthening of international relations between Australia and India, and gave the crew the opportunity to experience the wonderful culture India has to offer. There were many notable interactions between Newcastle and the Indian Navy which allowed each group to gain an appreciation for how the other operated. Several members of Newcastle’s crew joined the locals for a friendly match of volleyball. The energy in the room was high, with some two hundred spectators in attendance to cheer on their respective teams.

10 Jul 2017

HMAS Arunta Departs the Middle East to Australia

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Arunta is returning home to Australia after completing the longest Middle Eastern deployment by a Navy vessel since 1990. Arunta concluded its assignment to Joint Task Force 633 as part of Operation MANITOU and handed over responsibility to HMAS Newcastle after completing a nine-month deployment conducting counter terrorism and maritime security operations. The ship made three significant intercepts during the deployment netting more than 1310 kilograms of illegal narcotics. Commanding Officer HMAS Arunta, Commander Cameron Steil, said he was proud of his crew’s achievements and looked forward to returning them all home to their families in the coming weeks.

05 Jul 2017

Royal Australia Navy Ship Visits India

Royal Australia Navy (RAN) ship, HMAS Newcastle commanded by Commander MD Sirois is visiting Kochi, India from 04 - 07 Jul 17. On 04 Jul 17, the Commanding Officer of the visiting RAN Ship accompanied by Ms. Harinder Sidhu, High Commissioner of Australia and Captain Sheldon Williams, Defence Attache called on Vice Admiral AR Karve AVSM, Flag Officer Commanding- in- Chief Southern Naval Command (SNC) for interactions on issues of common interest to both navies. A friendly volleyball match between teams from SNC and the visiting ship was also played. During the ship’s stay in harbour, various activities such as guided tour for Indian Naval personnel onboard HMAS Newcastle…

22 Jun 2017

AUSINDEX Strengthens Ties Between Aus, Indian Navies

HMAS Newcastle’s capabilities proved invaluable during a complex warfare scenario involving Indian Navy Ships Shivalik and Kamorta during the Australia-India Exercise (AUSINDEX) held off the Western Australian coast. The ships headed out to sea, after a short harbour phase, to focus on the navies’ interoperability and improvement on their war fighting skills. Speaking from the bridge of Newcastle, Commanding Officer Commander Mark Sirois said AUSINDEX was an excellent opportunity to see both navies working together. “I had a good conversation with the commanding officers of the Indian warships and they were extremely impressed with the professionalism of our sailors.

20 Feb 2017

Melbourne Celebrates 25 Years of Service

HMAS Melbourne has celebrated 25 years since she entered service with the Royal Australian Navy, proving her motto, ‘She gathers strength as she goes’. The guided missile frigate has steamed more than 1.5 million kilometres - about 37 times the earth’s circumference - and clocked up almost 62,000 hours underway, since commissioning on 15 February 1992 at Station Pier, Melbourne. Commanding Officer Commander Charles Bourne said the frigate still plays a pivotal role in the Australian fleet. “We are one of only three long-range air defence ships in the Navy and will remain so until the new Hobart class destroyers arrive,” Commander Bourne said. “We have just completed trials for the MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’ helicopters in order to ensure the aircraft can be safely operated from the ship.

30 Nov 2016

Task Group Sails to Bass Strait

Warships, submarines and aircraft from all over the country are converging on Bass Strait for the final week of Exercise OCEAN RAIDER, one of the Royal Australian Navy’s largest maritime warfare activities. HMAS Adelaide lead six ships south from Sydney, while HMAS Warramunga and two submarines sailed from Western Australia. HMAS Darwin is also en route after completing her disaster relief duties in New Zealand. Under the exercise scenario, the assets will be split into two forces on arrival and then commence a series of free play war games. Commander Mark Sirois is the Commanding Officer of HMAS Newcastle, one of the guided missile frigates sailing to the strait with Adelaide.

27 Sep 2015

HMAS Newcastle Returns with Seized Heroin

HMAS Newcastle today returned triumphantly to Garden Island, Sydney, after seizing more than $1 billion in heroin in the Middle East region during her six-month Operation MANITOU deployment. The ship’s company of 228 was welcomed back by Commodore Warfare, Commodore Peter Leavy, RAN, along with family and friends. CDRE Leavy said Newcastle intercepted some 1.4 tonnes of heroin, valued at $1.2 billion. “This was a remarkable effort and denied terrorist organisations funding and has taken the Australian Navy’s total seizures in the Middle East over the last two years to an estimated street value of $2.3 billion. Commanding Officer Newcastle, Commander Dominic MacNamara, said his ship’s company had done an exceptional job.

08 Jul 2015

Australian Navy Drug Seizures Top $1.7 bln in 2 Years

HMAS Newcastle tracks a dhow on July 3, 2014 off the East Coast of Africa and from which it siezed 138 kg of heroin. (Photo: Brenton Freind)

In its sixth haul in eight weeks, Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Newcastle seized 139kg of heroin, with an estimated street value of around $41 million AUD ($30.5 million USD), off the East coast of Africa. Under the auspices of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the latest haul brings the Australian Navy’s total seizures in the Middle East region over the last two years to an estimated street value of $2.3 billion AUD (approximately $1.7 billion USD). The Chief of Joint Operations…

24 Jun 2015

HMAS Newcastle Seizes $1 bln in Narcotics

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Newcastle patrolling with the Combined Maritime Forces in the Middle East region has seized another 581kg of illegal narcotics with an estimated street value of approximately $520 million. The half-tonne heroin haul is Newcastle’s fifth in two months and comes on the back of her recent 724kg narcotics seizure. Acting Commander of Australia’s Joint Task Force 633 Brigadier Nagy Sorial said the latest haul was the second largest in CMF history. Since February 2014, Australian ships assigned to JTF633 have seized more than 4 tonnes of heroin. “The weekend’s find made Australia’s maritime contribution to CMF one of the world’s most effective current heroin interdiction forces,” BRIG Sorial said.

16 Jun 2015

Oz, NZ ships Seize $700 mi in Narcotics

Maritime security operations by Australian and New Zealand frigates operating in the Middle East region during the past six weeks have seized almost a tonne of narcotics worth an estimated street value of $711 million. Royal Australian Navy Guided Missile Frigate, HMAS Newcastle netted 724kg of narcotics worth an estimated $597 million. During the same operation, New Zealand ship HMNZS Te Kaha seized 257kg of narcotics worth an estimated $214 million. Patrolling as part of the Combined Maritime Forces, Combined Task Force -150, HMAS Newcastle’s Commanding Officer, Commander Dominic MacNamara said narcotics seizures denied a key source of funding to terrorist organisations.

11 May 2015

HMAS Newcastle On Middle East Patrols

HMAS Newcastle (Royal Australian Navy photo by Brenton Freind)

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Newcastle has arrived in the Middle East Region and has commenced her first patrol as part of Operation MANITOU after officially joining the operation on May 1, 2015. Newcastle departed for her first patrol as part of a six-month rotation that will see her cover approximately 2.5 million square miles of international waters to conduct maritime security operations in the region. The ship’s Commanding Officer, Commander Dominic MacNamara, RAN, said Newcastle’s mission is to contribute to the maritime security and overall stability of the region.

26 Sep 2013

HMAS Newcastle Steers for Home

HMAS Newcastle and HMAS Melbourne pass each other as Melbourne takes over from Newcastle as the Australian ship assigned to Operation SLIPPER. (Credit: LA Richard Close)

HMAS Newcastle has handed over security operations for Operation SLIPPER in support of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in the Middle East to HMAS Melbourne. Newcastle has provided maritime security around the Horn of Africa, conducted counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations in the Gulf of Aden and executed counter-terrorism activities since May 28, 2013. The Guided Missile Frigate handed over to sister ship HMAS Melbourne on September 24, 2013. HMAS Newcastle's Commanding Officer…

14 Jun 2013

HMAS Toowoomba Returns From the Middle East

HMAS Toowoomba (Photo: Royal Australian Navy)

Minister for Defense Stephen Smith today welcomed HMAS Toowoomba home from a six-month deployment to the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO). Minister Smith greeted the crew at her homeport Fleet Base West (HMAS Stirling), Rockingham, Western Australia. HMAS Toowoomba is an ANZAC Class Frigate with a crew of 191 men and women. As part of Operation SLIPPER, she provided essential naval support to International Maritime Security Operations in the Arabian Gulf. While deployed, HMAS Toowoomba participated in counter-terrorism operations in the Gulf of Oman and North Arabian Sea…

11 Jun 2013

Tankship Engine Room Blaze Off Somalia Coast

Photo: Australian Navy

Australia’s HMAS Newcastle provided medical treatment and evacuated two badly burned Filipino merchant seamen from a stricken oil tanker in the Somali Basin. The seamen from the Liberian registered Merchant Tanker Perla, were severely burned during a machinery fire which left the tanker powerless, adrift and vulnerable to pirate attack on June 7, 2013. Heavy seas required Newcastle’s embarked Sea Hawk helicopter to affect the rescue which winched a three-person medical team to Perla to treat and recover the seriously injured men shortly after dawn on June 8.

06 Oct 2006

Australian Warships to Visit Philippines

Two warships of the Royal Australian Navy are due to arrive in Manila on Friday for a weeklong joint training with their Philippine counterparts, said the Philippine Navy Thursday. The HMAS Newcastle and HMAS Darwin would join the training activities with the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard dubbed Maritime Training Activity Lumbas, according reports. Australian Customs Service would also take part in exercise which are composed mostly of shore-based training in Manila and would conclude with a combined sea passage. The exercise is not a full-blown joint military exercise due to the absence of a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the two countries.