Australian – Page 2 – CONTACT magazine

A Role 2 Field Hospital mission system during Exercise Stoic Gauntlet 2026 at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. Photo by Leading Aircraftman Campbell Latch.

SAAB delivers deployable hospitals

10/08/202610/08/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 604 Views 0 Comments Deployable Health Capability

Saab Australia has formally delivered Australia’s newest deployable military hospitals to the Australian Defence Force. FILE PHOTO: A Role 2

Two Royal Australian Air Force EA-18G Growlers and an F/A-18F Super Hornet queue up for fuel from an air-to-air refuelling tanker during Exercise Pitch Black 26. Photo by Leading Aircraftman Jamie Kohlmann.

News Royal Australian Air Force USA

Australia orders AIM-260 advanced air-to-air missiles

08/08/202608/08/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 782 Views 0 Comments

Australia is acquiring the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), investing almost $736 million to equip the Royal Australian Air

An Australian Army soldier from the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, alongside a Royal Brunei Land Forces soldier, conduct urban drills during Exercise Mallee Bull at Lavarack Barracks, Queensland. Photo by Private Alli Craig.

Asia Australian Army News

Diggers and Bruneians share tactics

08/08/202608/08/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 490 Views 0 Comments Brunei, Exercise Mallee Bull

Building clearances, two-man assault drills and urban navigation were the focus of what Australian and Brunei troops traded during Exercise

Australian Defence Force personnel deployed as Joint Task Force 629 in Weipa, Queensland, test and train with counter UAS technology during Exercise Austral Shield 2026. Photo by Private Brendan Smith.

ADF News

Counter-drone tech tested on Aussie exercise

08/08/202608/08/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 786 Views 0 Comments counter-drone

Defensive anti-drone technology was put to the test by soldiers deployed on Exercise Austral Shield 2026 in Weipa, far-north Queensland.

A United States Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey from the Marine Rotational Force - Darwin lands on board HMAS Canberra as part of a force integration training exercise off Queensland, Australia. Photo by Lieutenant Peter Allen.

MRF-D News Royal Australian Navy

Osprey lands on HMAS Canberra

08/08/202608/08/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 531 Views 1 Comment

US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft from the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) recently undertook force integration training with

A Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet lands at RAAF Base Darwin following an Exercise Pitch Black 26 sortie. Photo by Warrant Officer Ricky Fuller.

News Rest of World Royal Australian Air Force Videos

Sun sets on Exercise Pitch Black 2026

08/08/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 559 Views 0 Comments Exercise Pitch Black

Exercise Pitch Black 26 concluded on 7 August after three weeks of high-intensity air-combat training in the skies over Australia’s

Australian Army soldiers from the 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, conduct an assault during a danger-close live-fire activity during Exercise Diamond Dagger 2026 at Shoal-water Bay Training Area, Queensland. Photo by Corporal Jason Slape.

ADF News Sovereign industry

Defence orders more Aussie-made helmets

04/08/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 816 Views 0 Comments

Victorian company Aquaterro has been contracted to supply and refurbish combat helmets for the Australian Defence Force. CAPTION: Australian Army

A NSW Rural Fire Service Boeing CH-47D Chinook heavy-lift helicopter is lined up with the ramp of a C-17A Globemaster bound for France at RAAF Base Richmond. Photo by Sergeant Dan Pinhorn.

Europe News Royal Australian Air Force

RAAF carries firefighters to France

04/08/202609/08/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1077 Views 0 Comments

At the request of the French government, the Royal Australian Air Force is supporting the Australian government’s response to recent

Exercise Pitch Black 2026 participating nations give the Northern Territory community an opportunity to engage with military personnel at a RAAF Base Darwin Open Day. Photo by Corporal Ryan Howell.

News Overseas Royal Australian Air Force

Pitch Black open day in Darwin

02/08/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 802 Views 0 Comments Exercise Pitch Black

A crowd of 25,500 people took the opportunity to meet Australian and international military personnel and see operational aircraft from

ADF Editor's Blog News

Service newspapers chopped in half

31/07/202602/08/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 578 Views 0 Comments

The newspapers of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force have had their publication frequency chopped

USS Arco (ARDM-5), primarily used for dry-docking and repairing US Navy nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, San Deigo, California, has been in service since 1986. US Navy photo by Jason Saucier.

AUKUS News

Design contract let for floating dry dock in WA

31/07/202631/07/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 609 Views 0 Comments

Leidos Gibbs and Cox Australia has been selected to lead the preliminary design for a contingency dry dock, which will

Private Ethan Takac runs ahead of other soldiers up Enoggera Hill during the annual 7th Brigade ‘King of the Hill’ endurance challenge. Photo by Captain Tadek Markowski.

Australian Army News

Private crowned king of the hill

30/07/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 495 Views 0 Comments

A new champion has been crowned at Gallipoli Barracks following the annual 7th Brigade King of the Hill challenge. CAPTION:

Vanuatu Mobile Force Lance Corporal Larry Qara, Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Department Police Constable Barnabas Talo and Royal Australian Navy sailor, Leading Seaman Clearance Diver Bradley Fox discuss explosive ordnance disposal techniques at Cook Barracks in Port Vila, Vanuatu, during Operation Render Safe 26-2. Photo by Petty Officer Daniel Goodman.

News Pacific Royal Australian Navy

Disposing of UXO in Solomon Islands

30/07/202630/07/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 473 Views 0 Comments Operation Render Safe

No one knows exactly how many bombs left over from World War II are in Solomon Islands, but those working

HMAS Sydney (V) conducts a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) firing during RIMPAC 2026, off the coast of Hawaii, United States. Photo by Leading Seaman Lauren Pugsley.

News Royal Australian Navy USA

HMAS Sydney flexes missile muscle

30/07/202630/07/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 718 Views 0 Comments

HMAS Sydney fired a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) as part of a multinational sinking exercise during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC)

A Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet conducts an aerial display over Mindil Beach, Darwin as part of exercise Pitch Black 2026. Photo by Leading Aircraftwoman Nell Bradbury.

News Overseas Royal Australian Air Force

Air forces ignite sunset at Mindil Beach

30/07/202630/07/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 668 Views 0 Comments

As the sun sat low in the sky, tens of thousands of people took their place on Mindil Beach in

Aerial photo of Henderson, Western Australia. Supplied by Ventia.

News Royal Australian Navy

Star-ranked officer faces court martial

26/07/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1231 Views 0 Comments

Media reporting this week says a former star-ranked Royal Australian Navy officer will face a court martial in September. The

A Royal Australian Air Force aviator briefs Japan Ground Self-Defense Force soldiers during a field activity on Exercise Southern Jackaroo at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Photo by Private Alli Craig.

Australian Army Japan News USA Videos

Most complex Southern Jackaroo yet

25/07/202625/07/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 622 Views 0 Comments

Australian, Japanese and United States Marine Corps soldiers executed a complex combined-arms live fire to conclude Exercise Southern Jackaroo in

A member of Joint Task Force 629 provides security for Powerlink Queensland at its Calliope Substation – considered critical infrastructure for Queensland’s electricity network. Photo by Private Ryahn Rahme.

ADF News

Austral Shield responds to homeland security contingencies

25/07/202625/07/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 609 Views 0 Comments

Exercise Austral Shield brought together Australian Defence Force personnel, other government agencies and security partners in a continent-wide rehearsal for

HMAS Sydney (V) conducts a 5-inch Mark 45 62-calibre gun serial during the RIMPAC 2026 sea phase. Photo by Leading Seaman Lauren Pugsley.

News Pacific Royal Australian Navy

Exciting shoot for HMAS Sydney on RIMPAC Rodeo

25/07/202626/07/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 534 Views 0 Comments HMAS Sydney (V), RIMPAC

HMAS Sydney took part in the ‘RIMPAC Rodeo’, an international naval gunfire support serial during the sea phase of Exercise

An Australian Army Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicle drives over a Dry Support Bridge during Exercise Talisman Sabre 23. Photo by Corporal Nicole Dorrett.

Australian Army News Science & Technology

Australian Army’s battle management system goes Danish

25/07/202626/07/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 613 Views 0 Comments

Danish company Systematic’s SitaWare Headquarters has been selected for the first tranche of the Australian Army’s next-generation Battle Management System