Posted by Mike Hughes, Author at CONTACT magazine

Air Force aviators from 11 Squadron transfer a Mk54 Lightweight exercise torpedo to a RAAF P-8A Poseidon during Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2024, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Story by Lieutenant Carolyn Martin. Photos by Corporal Adam Abela.

Poseidon hunts submarines in the Pacific

19/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2542 Views 0 Comments MQ-9A, No. 11 Squadron, P-8A Poseidon, RIMPAC, US Navy

A Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon dropped four exercise torpedoes on a US Navy nuclear submarine during a maritime

Pig mascots William and Elizabeth are farewelled by the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Story and photos by Corporal Michael Rogers.

Australian Army News

7RAR says goodbye to its mascots – doesn’t say why

19/07/202421/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2124 Views 0 Comments 7th Battalion RAR, RAAF Edinburgh

Clad in unit colours, William and Elizabeth, the beloved pig mascots of the 7th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR),

Lieutenant Nicholas Dale, left, and Commanding Officer HMAS Sydney Commander Billy Maddison steer the ship during a replenishment at sea with German Navy Ship Frankfurt Am Main during Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2024. Story by Lieutenant Tahlia Merigan. Photos bu Leading Seaman Daniel Goodman.

News Royal Australian Navy Videos

Taking fuel from German Navy

19/07/202421/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2273 Views 0 Comments German Navy, HMAS Sydney, Replenishment at Sea (RAS), RIMPAC

For HMAS Sydney’s crew, a replenishment at sea (RAS) is a well-practised mariner skill, but taking fuel from the German

News Royal Australian Air Force Videos

Exercise Pitch Black – in videos

18/07/202425/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2384 Views 0 Comments Exercise Pitch Black

Exercise Pitch Black 24 is the Royal Australian Air Force’s biennial capstone international engagement exercise, with forces drawn from a

Head of Air Shows Air Force, Air Commodore Micka Grey, talks during the media launch event for the start of Exercise Pitch Black held at RAAF Base Darwin. Story by Flight Lieutenant Matthew Edwards. Photos by Sergeant David Gibbs.

News Royal Australian Air Force

All systems go on largest Pitch Black

17/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1080 Views 0 Comments Exercise Pitch Black, RAAF Darwin

In the presence of friends, and surrounded by allied aircraft on the heat of the flightline, senior ADF officers and

Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour pulls alongside East Arm Wharf, Darwin, ready to participate in Exercise Pitch Black. Story by Flying Officer Shanea Zeegers. Photo by Leading Aircraftman Kurt Lewis.

News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy Videos

Italy’s flagship debut at Pitch Black

17/07/202417/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2709 Views 0 Comments Exercise Pitch Black, Italian Navy

In an historic first, the Italian Navy’s flagship, the aircraft carrier Cavour, has arrived in Australia to participate in Exercise

RAAF Group Captain Glenn Pascoe, Surgeon to the Combined Forces Air Component Command at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Hawaii for Exercise RIMPAC, speaks with medical team members. Story by Lieutenant Carolyn Martin. Photo by Corporal Adam Abela.

Health and Wellbeing News Royal Australian Air Force USA

RAAF surgeon leads international medical team at RIMPAC

17/07/202424/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 989 Views 0 Comments RIMPAC

A RAAF medical officer is filling one of three component surgeon positions, charged with ensuring the care of more than

Squadron Leader Joshua Brown, right, describes the P-8A Poseidon airborne electronics analyst work stations to Squadron Leader Cosimo Panetta, left, and visiting contractors Peter Ryder, Adam Webber and Justin King. Story by Flying Officer Xavier Szegi. Photos by Leading Aircraftman Sam Price.

News Royal Australian Air Force Sovereign industry

New software ensures a safer flight

17/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1129 Views 0 Comments No. 11 Squadron, P-8A Poseidon, RAAF Edinburgh

The Government’s focus on Australian industry capability has resulted in the delivery of an Australian-developed software Weight and Balance Tool

Personnel from 1 Security Forces Squadron, RAAF Base Williamtown, participate in a non-permissive training scenario on the flightline at RAAF Base Richmond. Story by Tastri Murdoch. Photos by Leading Aircraftman Chris Tsakisiris.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Going from virtual to reality

16/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1364 Views 0 Comments No. 1 Security Forces Squadron., No. 3 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (3AMES), RAAF Amberley, RAAF Richmond, US Air Force

Late last month, for the first time, the United State Pacific Air Force (PACAF) 18 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (18AES) visited

Lieutenant David Gouge talks with other members in the Multi-National Logistics Support Element during Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2024, in Hawaii. Story by Lieutenant Carolyn Martin. Photos by Corporal Nicole Dorrett.

News Royal Australian Navy USA

Logistics cell critical to the mission

16/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1020 Views 0 Comments RIMPAC, US Navy

Five ADF members are part of a multinational team of about 40 surface logistics personnel providing essential support to the

Former Air Force Nursing Officer Val Lawrence, meets Warrant Officer Class One Darren Wasley at the War Veterans’ Home at Myrtle Bank in South Australia. Story by Leading Seaman Nadav Harel. Photos by Sergeant Murray Staff.

ADF People History Veterans

Nurse and rescued orphan meet 50 years on

16/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2283 Views 0 Comments Service Nurses, Vietnam War

After decades of war and with the imminent fall of Saigon in 1975, a humanitarian crisis was unfolding in South

An unexploded World War II-era Japanese bomb that was later disposed of by the ADF's North Queensland Joint Explosive Ordnance Support team after it was unearthed at the Stokes Hill Waterfront Precinct in Darwin. Image supplied.

Australian Army History News

Normal day at work ends with a bang

16/07/202421/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1275 Views 0 Comments Joint Explosive Ordnance Support (JEOS), UXO, WWII

Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) Kyle Johnson arrived at work on June 26 expecting a routine day. CAPTION: An unexploded World

A Philippine Air Force FA-50PH pilot holds an Australian flag after arriving at RAAF Base Darwin, ready for Exercise Pitch Black 24. Story by Flight Lieutenant Imogen Lunny. Photos by Leading Aircraftwoman Maddison Scott.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Philippines lands a first at Pitch Black

12/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2034 Views 0 Comments Exercise Pitch Black, Philippine Air Force, RAAF Darwin

The arrival of Philippine Air Force aircraft to Exercise Pitch Black marks the first time the Philippines has deployed air

Australian Amphibious Force members, Privates Jaguar Nibreda, Matthew Price, Jarrod Roughley, Jack Vaysset and Jack Thompson, rescued swimmers in distress at Berry Springs, NT. Story by Lieutenant Angela Faulkner.

ADF People Australian Army Health and Wellbeing

Soldiers save swimmers’ lives

12/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1420 Views 0 Comments HMAS Adelaide

Quick thinking by several Australian Army soldiers saved the life of an unconscious swimmer and four others in a Northern

A Republic of the Marshall Islands team from the Pacific Forum-class RMIS Lomor approaches the Guardian-class patrol ships PSS President HI Remeliik II from the Republic of Palau to run through a mock law enforcement boarding off Guam. Story by Leon Ha. Photo by Chief Petty Officer Aaron Wheeler.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

New naval operation in Guam creates forum for Pacific nations

12/07/202413/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1753 Views 0 Comments Operation Irensia, RANMSA, Sea Training Group, US Coast Guard

The inaugural Operation Irensia came to life last month with the Royal Australian Navy’s Maritime Security Advisors (MSAs) and Sea

A F/A-18F Super Hornet from 1 Squadron conducts a low-level flypast over Cairns Esplanade, enthralling the local community during Exercise Crimson Dawn. Story by Flight Lieutenant Imogen Lunny. Photo by Jonathan Williams.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Air power on display in north Queensland

12/07/202414/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1500 Views 0 Comments Exercise Crimson Dawn, F/A-18F Super Hornet, No. 1 Squadron

Air power has been on display in north Queensland, with additional flying activity taking place through the region, including on

Personnel from the Royal Australian Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force inspect hardware components during Exercise Blue Spectrum, at the Fleet Cyber Unit, Sydney. *This image has been digitally altered*. Story by Lieutenant Gordon Carr-Gregg. Photos by Corporal Lisa Sherman.

News Royal Australian Navy

Blue Spectrum bolsters naval cyber defence

12/07/202414/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2079 Views 0 Comments Cyber Forces Group Fleet Cyber Unit, Exercise Blue Spectrum, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, US Navy

In a pioneering effort to bolster international cyber defence, sailors and officers from Australia, Japan and the United States converged

A US Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 214 is refuelled by a RAAF 33 Squadron KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft over the Pacific ocean in transit to Australia. Photo: USMC Corporal Nicholas Johnson

News Royal Australian Air Force

RAAF and USMC F-35s train together in NT

12/07/202414/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 4949 Views 0 Comments 33 Squadron, Exercise Magpie Lightning, F-35A Lightning II, KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport, No. 3 Squadron, No. 75 Squadron, RAAF Amberley, RAAF Tindal, USMC

The skies over the Northern Territory came alive with different variants of the F-35 Lightning II in May and June

Sergeant Hannah Freeman and Flying Officer Jack Tucker, right, join other aviators on a Navy-led innovation voyage on commercial vessel MV Offshore Solution.

News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

Aviators jump on board innovation voyage

12/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 935 Views 0 Comments ADF Reserve, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)

Nine aviators participated in a Navy-led mission on the commercial vessel MV Offshore Solutionas part of a workforce upskilling activity

Former members of 1 Commando Company, from left, National Secretary Airborne and Special Forces Association Pat Doherty, President 1 Commando Association Merv Liddell and Chairman of Operation Pilgrimage Group Allan Miles at the unveiling of the new heritage marker at the company barracks, Georges Heights, Sydney. Story by Corporal Michael Rogers.

Australian Army History News Veterans

Mission accomplished for former commandos

11/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2402 Views 0 Comments HMAS Penguin

Sixty-one years after he first walked through the gates of 1 Commando Company, Allan Miles trod the familiar path to