Australian Border Force – CONTACT magazine

Members of the Royal Australian Air Force’s 1 Squadron at the opening ceremony of Exercise Thai Boomerang 2025. Story by Flight Lieutenant Matthew Edwards. Photos by Leading Aircraftwoman Aiesha White-Kratz.

Thai Boomerang flies back to Thailand

12/09/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 3076 Views 0 Comments Exercise Thai Boomerang, No. 1 Squadron, No. 4 Squadron, Royal Thai Air Force

More than 500 personnel from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) are taking part

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey with Dr Michael Sharp at a Defence Science and Technology Group display on board HMS Prince of Wales. Photo by Jay Cronan.

Australian Border Force News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy Science & Technology

Australia, UK partner on guided weapons R&D

22/08/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 4177 Views 0 Comments DSTG, Minister for Defence

The adoption of novel weapons and tactics in today’s battlespace is happening at an extremely rapid rate. CAPTION: Australian Deputy Prime

An Australian Army ARH Tiger, of 1st Aviation Regiment, hovers over the Kangaroo Flats Training Area during Exercise Griffin Walk. Story and photos by Captain Tadek Markowski.

Australian Border Force News

Tigers on the prowl in the Top End

10/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1444 Views 0 Comments 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Combat Engineer Regimen, 1st Health Battalion, Exercise Griffin Walk, Tiger ARH

The late onset of this year’s Northern Territory monsoon season hampered, but couldn’t halt, a recent 1st Aviation Regiment activity

Soldiers from Regional Force Surveillance Unit on Operation Resolute, regroup while conducting water patrols on Maret Island remote Western Australia. Story by Captain Lily Charles. Photo by Jarrod McAneney.

Australian Army Australian Border Force News Videos

New surveillance weapon used on ops for first time

18/11/202222/11/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2975 Views 0 Comments 10th Force Support Battalion, 1st Combat Signal Regiment, 3rd Battalion RAR, Bluebottle USV, NORFORCE, Operation Resolute

A new type of unmanned surveillance technology was used on Operation Resolute for the first time. CAPTION: Soldiers from Regional

Australian Border Force Inspector Damon Bailey on the bridge of HMAS Adelaide during Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022. Story by Flying Officer Brent Moloney. Photo by Leading Seaman Sittichai Sakonpoonpol.

Australian Border Force News Royal Australian Navy

Border Force inspector brings new capability

04/11/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2284 Views 0 Comments HMAS Adelaide, Indo-Pacific Endeavour

Aboard HMAS Adelaide for Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022 (IPE22), Australian Border Force Marine Unit veteran Inspector Damon Bailey is now half

Soldiers from 10th Force Support Battalion march through the streets of Charters Towers during the Freedom of Entry Parade. Story by Captain Annie Richardson. Photo by Private Alexander Rowe.

Australian Border Force News

Military parade helps city celebrate anniversary

28/10/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2720 Views 0 Comments 10th Force Support Battalion, Freedom of Entry

The 10th Force Support Battalion (10FSB) conducted a freedom of entry through the town centre of Charters Towers on October

Army Warrant Officer Class Two Benjamin Dwyer from the School of Army Aviation prepares to conduct a rescue by winch of a community member from an MRH-90 Taipan, over Lismore.

Australian Border Force News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

Operation Flood Assist 2022 overview

04/03/202205/03/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 3141 Views 0 Comments Operation Flood Assist 2022

CAPTION: Army Warrant Officer Class Two Benjamin Dwyer from the School of Army Aviation prepares to conduct a rescue by

Private Jordan Schooth assists Australian citizens and visa holders evacuated from Afghanistan after their arrival in Australia. Story by Lieutenant Brendan Trembath. Photo by Corporal Dustin Anderson.

ADF Australian Border Force Middle East News Police

Evacuees welcomed to Australia

10/09/202110/09/2021 Posted by Mike Hughes 2104 Views 0 Comments Evacuation of Kabul

Thousands of men, women and children evacuated from Afghanistan have been assisted by multiple agencies on arrival at Australian airports.

Private Daniel Charlie takes a photo of a watercraft approaching Boigu Island. Story and photo by Sergeant Sebastian Beurich.

ADF Australian Border Force

Keeping watch in the Torres Strait

06/05/202107/05/2021 Posted by Mike Hughes 2347 Views 2 Comments

Ping. Snap. The two sounds rang out in quick succession as a radar lets a soldier know it had spotted

Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre. Commonwealth copyright.

Australian Australian Border Force News

‘Disturbance’ at Christmas Island detention centre

06/01/2021 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2832 Views 0 Comments

ADF says an operation is underway to restore order after a disturbance in the Immigration Detention Centre on Christmas Island.

Maritime Border Command personnel deploy one of five hydrophones in the Torres Strait to detect illegal boat movements. ABF photo.

Australian Australian Border Force News

Border Force deploys covert listening devices

18/11/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3251 Views 0 Comments

New covert underwater listening devices has been deployed in the Torres Strait to combat illegal maritime activity in the region.

Security leaders from 24 nations and territories and five regional bodies attended the Joint Heads of Pacific Security event 2020 – a pandemic-forced virtual meeting to discuss security affects of COVID-19. Photo by Jay Cronan.

ADF Australian Australian Border Force News Pacific Police

Pacific security forum to discuss COVID-19

07/11/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2352 Views 0 Comments COVID-19

Delegates from Pacific-island nations’ security agencies connected from across the region for a Joint Heads of Pacific Security event.

The first RSFG vehicle comes ashore at Norwegian Bay. Australian Border Force photo.

Australian Australian Army Australian Border Force News Police Royal Australian Air Force

Multi-agency patrol on Pilbara coast

25/07/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 5442 Views 0 Comments

A joint activity under Operation Resolute that used assets from ABF, RAAF and Army’s Pilbara Regiment concluded in Western Australia this week.

The front of a replica Australian Defence Medal – one of thousands confiscated when they were imported with a permit to use the Commonwealth Coat of Arms. ABF photo.

Australian Australian Border Force News

Replica military medals seized over Coat of Arms breach

28/02/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3934 Views 0 Comments

A Perth business has had thousands of replica Australian Defence Medals confiscated by ABF for bearing the Commonwealth Coat of Arms without a permit.

Imitation firearms confiscated – man charged. ABF photo.

Australian Australian Border Force News

Man charged over imitation firearm possession

26/02/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 7571 Views 9 Comments

A 33-year old Sydney man will appear in court today after being found in possession of 34 imitation firearms earlier this month.

Corporal Antonia Guterres, a Loadmaster at No. 35 Squadron, secures cargo to be taken from RAAF Base East Sale to Mallacoota on the C-27J Spartan during Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20. Photo by Corporal Kylie Gibson.

Australian Australian Border Force News Operations

Spartan loadmaster reviews the stats

18/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3411 Views 0 Comments Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

RAAF C27J Spartan loadmaster Corporal Antonia Guterres has been hands-on in helping deliver supplies to fire-affected communities in Victoria.

An Indonesian fishing boat, caught illegally fishing in Australian waters, is destroyed by fire in Darwin. Australian Border Force photo.

Australian Australian Border Force News

Illegal fishers fined, boat destroyed

26/11/2019 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3826 Views 0 Comments

The master of an Indonesian fishing vessel has been fined AU$17,360 in the Darwin Local Court for offences under the

Indian Coast Guard Ship Shaurya. Supplied.

Australian Australian Border Force India News

Indian coast Guard ship visits Darwin (+open day)

25/11/2019 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3299 Views 0 Comments

The Australian Border Force (ABF) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) are forging stronger ties through the visit to Darwin this