Posted by Mike Hughes – CONTACT magazine

Medics, nurses and doctors carry out blood training during a scenario as part of Exercise Surging Forward. Story by Captain Chris Wade. Photos by Corporal Adrian Murphy.

Medics confronted with multiple challenges

23/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 381 Views 0 Comments 3rd Health Battalion, Exercise Surging Forward, RAAF Edinburgh

Personnel from the 3rd Health Battalion trialled innovative ways of deploying their equipment into the field swiftly and efficiently, under

An Army HX81 truck pulls a water tanker to demonstrate the new weighbridge at RAAF Base Amberley. Story by Warrant Officer Class 2 Max Bree. Photos: byPrivate Mikayla Abson.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force

Base overhaul a boon for Defence’s big haulers

22/01/202622/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 617 Views 0 Comments 9th Force Support Battalion's (9FSB), RAAF Amberley

Defence’s MAN truck drivers will no longer struggle when weighing or washing their vehicles at RAAF Base Amberley thanks to

Australian Army Lieutenant Mitchell 'Tex' Walker in tank number 51 during the delivery of Australian M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. Story and photos by Lieutenant Commander John Thompson

Australian Army News

Aussies who prepared tanks for Ukraine delivery

22/01/202625/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 672 Views 2 Comments M1A1 Abrams, Operation Kudu, Ukraine

The recent delivery of the final batch of M1A1 Abrams to Ukraine had special meaning for Townsville-born – and now

Wargamers from Defence Science and Technology Group and the Army Battle Lab engage in an analytical wargame. Story by Robert Nutbrown. Photo by Mandom Paje.

ADF Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

Wargamers explore tech of tomorrow

20/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 583 Views 0 Comments DSTG, Wargaming

Defence has staged the first Innovation and Asymmetry Wargame to explore how emerging technologies might shape future military operations. CAPTION:

Captain Bernadette Alexander and Command Warrant Officer Dennis Bentley speak with community stakeholders and Human Quotient Group, Defence at a celebration marking the completion of the Darwin Cowork Coplay program.

ADF People Health and Wellbeing

Supporting our supporters with Cowork Coplay

20/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 526 Views 0 Comments Cowork Coplay

A lively group of program participants, government dignitaries and local Defence leaders celebrated the conclusion of the first Cowork Coplay

A black-and-white newspaper clipping from a 1980s Army Newspaper showing military personnel.

Australian Army History News

Defence funds newspapers digitisation

13/01/202617/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 831 Views 0 Comments

Step back in time this summer with Defence early service newspapers, which capture the spirit of Australia’s armed forces and

Royal Australian Air Force members help a civilian during the nationwide floods in 1974.

History News Royal Australian Air Force

Eight squadrons in biggest mercy operation

13/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 719 Views 0 Comments

Step back in time this summer with defence early Service Newspapers, which capture the spirit of Australia’s armed forces and

Former Navy clearance Diver Wally Reynolds, right, with Phillip Meade after he descended 327 feet to set an Australian aqualung diving record 12 miles off the coast of Newport, NSW. Story by Corporal Darryl Gallagher.

History News Royal Australian Navy

Navy diving records broken then and now

13/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 617 Views 0 Comments

Step back in time this summer with defence early Service Newspapers, which capture the spirit of Australia’s armed forces and

A photo from the 1984 newspaper article.

Australian Army History News

The 30-year-old mystery of the wallet

13/01/202613/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 600 Views 0 Comments

Step back in time this summer with defence early Service Newspapers, which capture the spirit of Australia’s armed forces and

A soldier rides a Mechanical Mule in a 1960 photo from the Australian Army newspaper, now digitised through Trove.

Australian Army History News

From Mechanical Mule to modern mobility

13/01/202613/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 543 Views 0 Comments Canungra

Step back in time this summer with defence early Service Newspapers, which capture the spirit of Australia’s armed forces and

Australian M1A1 Abrams tanks bound for Ukraine are unloaded in Europe after arriving from Australia on a cargo ship. Photo by Lance Corporal JA Thompson.

Australian Army Europe News

Australia completes delivery of tanks to Ukraine

19/12/202520/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1791 Views 0 Comments M1A1 Abrams, Operation Kudu, Ukraine

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has completed its landmark commitment to provide Ukraine with 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks, reinforcing the

Alfie the Elf goes on patrol with military working dog Wilka from 22 Squadron at RAAF Base Richmond. Story by Flight Lieutenant Madeleine Magee. Photos by Aircraftwoman Grace Hanlon.

News Overseas Royal Australian Air Force

Alfie the Elf’s Christmas at RAAF Base Richmond

19/12/202519/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1556 Views 1 Comment Christmas, RAAF Richmond

Far away in the North Pole, Alfie the Elf was busy working in Santa’s workshop when he received some very

Royal Australian Air Force F-35A conducts a flypast at the 2025 ADFA Graduation Parade. Story by Hannah Donald.Photo by Thomas Lucraft.

ADF Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

Future leaders graduate from ADFA

19/12/202519/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1576 Views 0 Comments ADFA, Governor-General of Australia

Marking the completion of three years of university study and joint military training, 330 third-year Trainee Officers took to the

Ceremonial Sunset and official reception mark 100th anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus, Victoria. Story by Sub-Lieutenant Jonathan Rendell. Photos by Leading Seaman Sittichai Sakonpoonpol.

History News Royal Australian Navy

Recruit School – 100 years of shaping Navy’s future

19/12/202519/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1074 Views 0 Comments Chief of Navy, HMAS Cerberus

Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond hosted an official reception and Ceremonial Sunset on December 11 to honour 100

Operation Linesmen and Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense personnel salute remains recovered from White Horse Hill in the Korean DMZ. Story and photos by Lieutenant Commander Brendan Trembath.

Asia Australian Army History Lest We Forget News Royal Australian Air Force

ADF aids KIA recovery from Korean DMZ

19/12/202520/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1277 Views 0 Comments Korean War, Operation Linesmen

Seventy-five years after the Korean War started, the Australian Defence Force has supported a successful remains recovery mission on a

An uncrewed aerial system navigates the urban-style challenge course during the Rise of the Drones finals at Victoria Barracks in Sydney. Story by Captain Andrew Lee. Photo by Private C.

Australian Army News Science & Technology

Next-generation drone pilots face off at comp

19/12/202519/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1038 Views 0 Comments Army Battle Lab, first-person view drones (FPVD), MakerSpace, Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS)

Army’s newest drone and robotics talent went head-to-head at Victoria Barracks last month in the finals of Rise of the

World War 2 veteran Valerie Ireland joins Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Chris Smith for a tour of Fleet Base East and the RAN Heritage Centre. Story by Lieutenant Hinako Shiraishi.

ADF People History Lest We Forget Royal Australian Navy

Veteran’s reunion after 80 years

18/12/202518/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1225 Views 0 Comments Fleet Base East, Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre, WWII

Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Christopher Smith recently welcomed 100-year-old World War 2 veteran Valerie Ireland, née Blackett, back to Fleet

Clive Wawn Junior holding the ‘short snorter’ with Squadron Leader Andrew Chadwick at the RAAF Townsville Aviation Heritage Centre. Story and photos by Flying Officer Casie Scott.

ADF People History Lest We Forget Royal Australian Air Force

A ‘short snorter’ with a powerful story

18/12/202518/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1217 Views 0 Comments RAAF Townsville Aviation Heritage Centre (RTAHC), WWII

An extraordinary piece of wartime history is now on display at the RAAF Townsville Aviation Heritage Centre: a 10-shilling ‘short

General Qais Khalaf Rahima (Staff), Deputy Commander of Joint Operations, Iraqi Armed Forces in Baghdad, and Australia's Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Major General Hugh McAslan, at the cessation of Operation Steadfast. Story by Captain Karam Louli. Photos by Sergeant Andrew Sleeman.

Australian Army Middle East News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

ADF wraps up Iraq operation

18/12/202520/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1032 Views 0 Comments Iraq, Operation Steadfast

Australia has officially concluded Operation Steadfast, marking the final chapter in more than two decades of Australian Defence Force involvement

Three Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft, the largest contingent to date, on the apron at Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth during Operation Gateway. Story by Flight Lieutenant Brent Moloney. Photos by Corporal Andrew Shaw.

Asia News Royal Australian Air Force

Three of a kind in Malaysia

18/12/202518/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1254 Views 0 Comments No. 292 Squadron, No. 92 Wing, Operation Gateway, P-8A Poseidon, Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth, Royal Malaysian Armed Forces

Operation Gateway’s latest rotation in November and December 2025 witnessed a trio of RAAF P-8A Poseidons operating from Royal Malaysian

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