Posted by Mike Hughes, Author at CONTACT magazine

A soldier from 11th Brigade checks on his mates as he advances forward during an assault on an 'enemy' defensive position at Cowley Beach training area in northern Queensland. Story by Corporal Michael Rogers. Photo by Corporal Michael Currie.

11th and 13th Brigades test domestic security responses

09/08/202410/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2560 Views 0 Comments 11th brigade, 13th Brigade, Army Reserve, Exercise Austral Shield

In the largest Army Reserve exercise in three decades, nearly 2000 personnel practised a rapid deployment to Australia’s north to

Royal Australian Navy mine warfare clearance diving officer Lieutenant Commander Adam Zilko, participates in a brief for mine countermeasures as a part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 24 in Hawaii. Story by Lieutenant Carolyn Martin. Photos by Corporal Nicole Dorrett.

ADF People

Planning for mine warfare training

09/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 768 Views 0 Comments Clearance Diver, RIMPAC, US Navy

Royal Australian Navy Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Officer (MCDO) Adam Zilko’s current exchange posting to the United States has involved

Army soldiers wear the new winter uniforms around Russell Offices in Canberra. Photo by Corporal Cameron Pegg.

ADF People Australian Army

New clothing range for Army personnel

07/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2344 Views 1 Comment Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG)

Army’s range of general duties garments is expanding, with four new items being issued to provide warmth through the winter

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail leads a formation of aircraft past the Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour during Exercise Pitch Black 2024. Story by Squadron Leader Eamon Hamilton. Photo by Corporal Samuel Miller.

News Royal Australian Air Force Videos

Sun sets on milestone Pitch Black

07/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2514 Views 0 Comments E-7A Wedgetail, Exercise Pitch Black

Exercise Pitch Black 24 was unlike any of its predecessors. CAPTION: A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail leads a formation

Army soldier Corporal Scott Christian, of 2nd Force Support Battalion, guides a forklift operator as they load rations onto a MAN 40M truck at Cairns airport, Queensland, during Exercise Austral Shield. Story by Corporal Michael Rogers. Photo by Corporal Michael Currie.

Australian Army News

New logistics unit hits the ground running

07/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1237 Views 0 Comments 2nd Force Support Battalion, 8th Operational Support Unit (8OSU), Army Reserve, Exercise Austral Shield

Soldiers from the 8th Operational Support Unit (8OSU) escaped the southern winter to conduct the unit’s first major exercise since

Australian Army News

Tigers’ run a roaring mission success

07/08/202407/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1140 Views 0 Comments 1st Brigade, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Exercise Predator’s Run

In the expansive and rugged terrain of the Bradshaw Field Training Area in the Northern Territory, the early morning air

Australian Army communications systems operator Signaller David Muwandi, of the 109th Signal Squadron, at RAAF Base Curtin, WA, during Exercise Austral Shield. Story by Captain Diana Jennings. Photo by Corporal Lisa Sherman.

ADF People

No comms, no bombs

07/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 928 Views 0 Comments 109th Signal Squadron, Army Reserve, Exercise Austral Shield, RAAF Curtin

An engineer by trade, Signaller David Muwandi decided he wanted a challenge, so he joined the Army Reserve and hasn’t

A special warfare operator from 2nd Commando Company, 1st Commando Regiment, fires an AK-47 rifle during foreign weapons training in Melbourne. Story and photo by Lieutenant S.

Australian Army News

Commandos come to grips with foreign weapons

02/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2475 Views 0 Comments 1st Commando Regiment, Fort Gellibrand, special warfare

Integrating with partner forces throughout the Indo-Pacific region is one of many special warfare tasks assigned to the 1st Commando

Corporal Timothy Rymill, right, and other Army medical personnel from 1st Health Battalion triage a simulated patient inside the Role 1 treatment facility at RAAF Base Curtin, WA, during Exercise Austral Shield. Story by Captain Diana Jennings. Photos by Corporal Lisa Sherman.

Australian Army Health and Wellbeing News

Exercise Austral Shield troops in safe hands

02/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1494 Views 0 Comments 1st Health Battalion, 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, Army Reserve, Exercise Austral Shield, RAAF Curtin

Corporal Timothy Rymill has been an Army Reserve treatment team medic with the 1st Health Battalion for three years, but

Soldiers from Rifle Company Butterworth exit a US Army Chinook during the field training exercise during Exercise Keris Strike in Sabah, Malaysia. Story by Lieutenant Chloe Reay. Photo by Evangelos Wilson.

Australian Army News Overseas Videos

Diggers show their mettle in Malaysian jungle

02/08/202402/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2662 Views 0 Comments 5th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, Exercise Keris Strike, Malaysian Armed Forces, Rifle Company Butterworth, US Army

As the waves crashed along the coastline of Sabah in East Malaysia, three nations gathered to mark the conclusion of

Angus, from the Starlight Children’s Foundation, tries on an F-35A helmet with the help of Corporal Daniel Lake, a 3 Squadron life support fitter, at the Pitch Black open day at RAAF Base Darwin. Story by Flying Officer Jamie Wallace. Photos by Sergeant David Gibbs.

News Royal Australian Air Force

RAAF helps make a wish come true

02/08/202406/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1358 Views 0 Comments Community Engagement, Exercise Pitch Black, F-35A Lightning II, No. 3 Squadron, RAAF Darwin, Starlight Children’s Foundation

The Royal Australian Air Force has teamed up with international partners and the Starlight Children’s Foundation to grant the wish

Firefighters from the Royal Air Force, RAAF and Royal New Zealand Air Force at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. Story by Flight Lieutenant Annabel Francis-Jones. Photo by Aircraftwoman Campbell Latch.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Triple the fire power on Ex Pitch Black

02/08/202403/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1188 Views 0 Comments Exercise Pitch Black, fire, RAAF Amberley, RAF, RNZAF

Fire fighters from the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force and Royal Air Force seized the opportunity

Air surveillance operator Corporal Mikayla Dows, of 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit, monitors the air space inside the Mobile Control Reporting Centre during Exercise Pitch Black 24. Story by Flight Lieutenant Matthew Edwards. Photo by Sergeant David Gibbs.

History News Royal Australian Air Force

Bandicoot spells end for Mobile Control and Reporting Centre

02/08/202403/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1291 Views 0 Comments Exercise Pitch Black, No. 114MRCU

Tucked away behind dimly lit screens are the faces of air battle managers and air surveillance operators illuminated by battlespace

Royal Thai Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Toranin Metananta departs RAAF Base Darwin for a sortie in a JAS-39 Gripen C during Exercise Pitch Black. Story by Flying Officer Shanea Zeegers. Photos by Leading Aircraftman Kurt Lewis.

News Royal Australian Air Force Videos

RTAF celebrate 20 years at Pitch Black

02/08/202403/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1898 Views 0 Comments Exercise Pitch Black, RAAF Darwin, Royal Thai Air Force

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is celebrating two decades of participation in Exercise Pitch Black, one of the world’s

An Italian Navy F-35B Lightning II prepares to land on ITS Cavour while underway at sea during Exercise Pitch Black. Story by Flight Lieutenant Claire Campbell. Photos by Leading Aircraftman Kurt Lewis.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Cavour makes waves at Pitch Black

02/08/202403/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1315 Views 0 Comments Exercise Pitch Black, Italian Navy

The Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour sailed through week two at Exercise Pitch Black 24, intent on enhancing interchangeability with

Able Seaman Clint Selwood handles lines on HMAS Choules’ embarked light landing craft in Suva, Fiji, as part of a south-west Pacific regional presence deployment. Story by Lieutenant Marie Davies. Photos by Leading Seaman Matthew Lyall.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Bridging the gap between ship and shore

31/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1542 Views 0 Comments Amphibious Watercraft Squadron, Choules, HMAS Waterhen, Light Landing Craft (LLC)

Imagine being anchored off a beautiful Pacific island without wharf access, needing to transport hundreds of people, equipment and stores,

Staff Sergeant Ian McLain from the United States Air Force monitors the E-7A Wedgetail from 2 Squadron before its next mission during Exercise Pitch Black 24. Story by Flight Lieutenant Matthew Edwards. Photos by Sergeant David Gibbs.

News Royal Australian Air Force

AU UK US perspective on commanding the battlespace

31/07/202403/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1229 Views 0 Comments E-7A Wedgetail, Exercise Pitch Black, No. 2 Squadron, RAF, US Air Force

Scanning the skies as part of Exercise Pitch Black is nothing new to 2 Squadron but, for this year’s activity,

ADF People

Icy baths and picnics with penguins all part of my job

31/07/202404/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1060 Views 0 Comments Antarctica

While the east coast experienced a chilly start to winter in recent weeks, spare a thought for Antarctic expeditioners like

Soldiers from 5th Aviation Regiment present a safety brief to Townsville Hospital Foundation charity 'Brighter Lives' recipients on the Army-leased AW139 helicopter. Story by Captain Tadek Markowski. Photos by Gunner Ryan Kearney.

Australian Army News

Townsville University Hospital patients’ lifted by Army helicopter flight

31/07/202406/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 981 Views 0 Comments 5th Aviation Regiment, Leonardo AW139 helicopter, Operation Care Bear, Townsville

“I never thought two broken arms would get me this far,” Liam said. CAPTION: Soldiers from 5th Aviation Regiment present a

Australian Army soldiers practice offloading from a United States Army Reserve CH-47 Chinook in preparation for an insertion into the Field Training Exercise during Exercise Keris Strike in Sabah, Malaysia. Story and photo by Lieutenant Chloe Reay.

Australian Army News Overseas

Choppers gives bombardier a lift

31/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1174 Views 0 Comments 8th/12th Regiment RAA, Exercise Keris Strike, Malaysian Armed Forces

Just outside of Kota Belud in Sabah, Malaysia, three nations gather under the banner of Exercise Keris Strike 2024. CAPTION: