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Ray Griggs News

08 Dec 2016

30th Class Graduates from Australian Defence Force Academy

Throwing their hats in the air today marked not only the end of their time at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), but also the start of a new phase in the military careers of 224 officer cadets and midshipmen. The Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, MC, was joined by the Minister for Defence Personnel, the Hon Dan Tehan MP, the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, AC, and other distinguished guests and families at the 2016 Graduation Parade. The achievement was extra special for ADFA as it marked the graduation of ADFA’s 30th class. Graduates from ADFA’s first class, who graduated in 1986, were also invited to attend the celebration.

13 May 2016

China: Stakeholders Should Manage S.China Sea Differences Constructively

China and the United States should manage their differences over disputed waters in the South China Sea constructively, one of China's top military officials has said. Fang Fenghui, a member of China's Central Military Commission, told General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the two sides should "refrain from actions detrimental to the relations between the two countries and the two militaries", state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday. Fang and Dunford discussed the South China Sea in a video link-up on Thursday, it said. The discussion comes at a time of heightened tension between China and the United States…

09 Dec 2014

Australia & Fiji Close Ranks on Defense

The Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs returned from a visit to Fiji today, the first visit from a senior Australian military representative in some years. The visit was an important step towards re-establishing a substantive defence relationship between Australia and Fiji, and will form the basis of a new partnership between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF). This is the first time a senior ADF representative has visited the island nation since 2006, and was timely for both countries to discuss working together in the defence context. “I was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss broad priorities for defence cooperation with my Fijian counterparts…

27 Jun 2014

Australia’s HMAS Arunta Returns to Sea

HMAS Arunta on her first day at sea conducting a boat transfer (Australia Department of Defense photo)

A milestone has been achieved in the Anti-Ship Missile Defense (ASMD) Upgrade Program with HMAS Arunta setting sail for her sea acceptance trials this week. Chief Executive Officer, Defense Materiel Organization (DMO) Warren King and the Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, AO, CSC, RAN, together congratulated all those involved in the program. King said the ASMD Project will deliver a capability providing an improved level of self defense against modern anti-ship missiles for the Royal Australian Navy’s ANZAC Class frigates.

27 Mar 2014

Royal Australian Navy Chairs Indian Ocean Symposium

IONS: Photo credit RAN

The Royal Australian Navy is currently chairing the group of world navies whose nations share boundaries with the Indian Ocean at he biennial Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) which was established in 2008 as a forum to increase maritime cooperation among the littoral states of the Indian Ocean region. Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, AO, CSC, RAN, was handed Chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium group by Rear Admiral (Junior Grade) Sagaren L Pillay SM, MMM representing the former chair…

16 Mar 2014

Australian Warship Returns from Billion-Dollar Drug Interdiction

Arrival HMAS Melbourne: Photo credit RAN

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 ship’s company of HMAS Melbourne on her successful deployment, which saw her intercept more than $1 billion in illegal drugs. Commanding Officer HMAS Melbourne…

03 Mar 2014

Sailor Rescued from HMAS Armidale

Following a combined operation yesterday involving a range of government and private agencies, a Royal Australian Navy sailor is now resting in hospital in Broome, Western Australia, following a casualty evacuation operation in Australia’s far North West Shelf region. The rescue occurred after the sailor, from the Royal Australian Navy’s patrol boat HMAS Armidale, fell ill, requiring emergency medical assistance. After a high-speed transit, the sailor was transferred from HMAS Armidale to the offshore drilling platform ENSCO 109 where he was flown by civilian helicopter to Truscott Air Base in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. The Royal Flying Doctor Service met the sailor at Truscott and flew him on to Broome for treatment. The sailor is now recovering.

07 Feb 2014

US Secretary of the Navy Concludes Official Australia Visit

SECNAV Mabus at Naval Memorial: Photo credit USN

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…

11 Dec 2013

Fire Injures One aboard Australian Navy Submarine

HMAS Waller (Australian Navy photo)

One man suffered light burns as a result of an electrical fire onboard HMAS Waller earlier this week. The fire occurred on Tuesday, December 10 at 10 p.m. (WA time) while the submarine was undergoing maintenance alongside Fleet Base West. While conducting maintenance activities in a battery compartment Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) contractors observed electrical ‘sparking and arcing’ and smoke emanating from within the compartment. In accordance with their training the…

05 Dec 2013

Australian Navy Modernizes Ship Color Scheme

HMAS TOBRUK's Replenishment At Sea (RAS) with HMAS SUCCESS during the closing stages of Exercise RIMPAC 08 (Photo: ABPH Craig Owen)

The Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, has announced that the Navy will progressively change the color of its surface fleet to meet modern war-fighting and regional environmental conditions. While not normally apparent to the bystander, the recent International Fleet Review with 17 international ships visibly demonstrated that color schemes do vary significantly between nations. These are mainly due to the regional environmental conditions faced by national navies such as the percentage of cloud cover or sunlight.

22 Nov 2013

U.S.-Australian Defence Chiefs Strategic Dialogue

The Australian Chief of Defense Force, General David Hurley, and the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, joined senior Australian and U.S. military leaders for the first U.S.-Australian Defense Chiefs’ Strategic Dialogue (DCSD) discussions at the National Defense University in Washington D.C. The inaugural DCSD including the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs; the Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison; the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown and the U.S. Service Chiefs provided a unique opportunity to discuss in depth a range of military matters. The discussion followed the Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations in Washington D.C., on 20 November.

31 Oct 2013

Spanish Warship Completes 'Down Under' Fleet Attachment

ESPS Cantabria (left): Photo credit RAN

After 9 months operating as part of the Royal Australian Navy Fleet, Spanish Armada Ship, 'ESPS Cantabria' was farewelled from her temporary homeport of Garden Island, Sydney. The ship will be visiting ports in Indonesia, India and Turkey before arriving home for Christmas. Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, AO, CSC, RAN joined the Spanish Ambassador to Australia, HE Mr Enrique Viguera, Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Tim Barrett AM, CSC, RAN and Consul-General of Spain, Alvaro Iranzo Gutierrez on the wharf to acknowledge the bonds developed between the nations.

31 Oct 2013

HMAS Choules Completes Mission at Manus Island

The Royal Australian Navy reported that HMAS Choules has completed its mission at Manus Island and heads home today, October 31, 2013. Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs AO, CSC, RAN said HMAS Choules provided maritime support to Department of Immigration and Border Protection efforts to increase the capacity of the facilities on Manus Island. “HMAS Choules and her crew remained anchored off Manus Island after the ADF land-based tasks were complete, and the land task force returned home on 14 August 2013,” VADM Griggs said. “The ship provided a floating home to about 230 Australian Government personnel and service providers working on Manus Island.

23 Sep 2013

Russian Navy Bows Out of Australian Fleet Review

Cruiser 'Varyag': Photo courtesy of Russian Navy

The Russian Navy has had to withdraw its ships from attending this month’s International Fleet Review. The Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, said the unfortunate change of plans was due a change in the positioning of the Russian ships. Vice Admiral Griggs said the withdrawal of the Russian Navy will not detract from the spectacle of the international contingent assembling in the coming days to join the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) for the International Fleet Review, which commemorates the RAN’s first arrival into Sydney Harbour on 4 October 1913.

28 Aug 2013

Australian Navy Completes O&G Security Exercise in Northwest Shelf

HMAS Warramunga conducts a twilight patrol around the natural gas production facility, Prod Bayu-Undan, as the ship and crew of HMAS Warramunga conduct a maritime security patrol in the Timor Sea as part of Ex Blue Raptor 2013. Photo: LSIS Brenton Freind

The Royal Australian Navy Ships HMAS Sydney, Warramunga, and Sirius, which are based on both the east and west coast of Australia, have concluded their participation in Exercise Blue Raptor in the Northwest Shelf area. Exercise Blue Raptor was a maritime security exercise which tested communications, procedures and protocols between the Navy ships and other units of the Australian Defense Force with the oil and gas installations in the area. The exercise is part of a number of routine patrols conducted by the Navy in the region and was supported by a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion.

15 May 2013

Navies Sign Submarine Rescue Arrangement

Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) signed an arrangement with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) during the International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) in Singapore. Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, who signed the agreement with his Singaporean counterpart Rear Admiral Ng Chee Peng, said the Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation Arrangement was developed between the RAN and RSN to enhance submarine rescue system availability between both navies. “Having…

10 May 2013

Australian Navy Assists in Search for Lost Cruise Passengers

HMAS Choules (Photo: Royal Australian Navy)

The Australian Navy ship HMAS Choules and her MRH 90 helicopter have been involved in the air and sea search for two people believed lost from the Carnival Line cruise ship Carnival Spirit off the New South Wales mid-north coast. HMAS Choules joined the search on Thursday afternoon as she was returning from North Queensland where she was conducting amphibious training exercises. The ship and her helicopter have now been released from the search which was co-ordinated by the New South Wales Water Police. Choules is now on her way to her home port in Sydney.

14 Sep 2012

WWl Submarine Mystery Disapearance Honored

Sub AE1: Photo credit RAN

The Royal Australian Navy pauses to honour those who died in one of the RAN’s most enduring maritime mysteries. On 14 September 1914, one of Australia’s first submarines AE1 was conducting a routine patrol to the east of the Duke of York Island group, near Rabaul, when she vanished. Despite three days of searching, no trace of oil, debris or any of the 32 sailors and three officers on board was found. The loss of AE1 is one of Australia’s worst naval disasters and remains one of its greatest mysteries.

20 Jul 2012

RAN Signs to Explore Bio-fuel Use with U.S. Navy

Bio-fuel RAN Fill-up: Photo credit RAN

Australia’s Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, AO, CSC, RAN and the US Secretary for Navy, Ray Mabus, have signed a Statement of Cooperation which recognises the potentially significant benefits research into alternative fuels can bring. It acknowledges the importance of the project, both for the environment and for national security. The RAN’s Fleet Commander, Rear Admiral Tim Barrett, AM, CSC, RAN delivered the Statement of Cooperation for the signing ceremony on board the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz with Secretary Mabus on 19 July.

13 Apr 2012

Ship Maintenance for Australian Navy Enhanced

The Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs has announced  the establishment of a new organisation, Fleet Support Unit – Australia, to provide better maintenance support to the Navy. The re-organisation was one of the key recommendations to come out of a review conducted by the Navy’s Continuous Improvement Program and incorporates elements of the Rizzo plan to reform Navy support ship repair and management practices. The review identified that the disparate Fleet Support Units were not empowered to achieve their primary aim of repair and maintenance. The new unit will be an amalgamation of the current Fleet Support Units currently located in different establishments around the country.