Posted by Mike Hughes, Author at CONTACT magazine

Ship's company of HMAS Canberra exercise their freedom-of-entry through the streets of Wellington, New Zealand, during HMAS Canberra's port visit. Story by Lieutenant Michael Wilson. Photos by Petty Officer Jarrod Mulvihill.

Sister cities bond during parade

13/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 121 Views 0 Comments Freedom of Entry, HMAS Canberra, New Zealand, RNZN

The cold wind couldn’t put a chill on the welcome in Wellington for HMAS Canberra’s freedom-of-entry parade and civic reception.

Deputy Detachment Commander, Flight Lieutenant Alex Cross, displays some of Operation Gateway's most important logistics requirements at Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth in Penang. Story by Flight Lieutenant Imogen Lunny. Photos by Sergeant Craig Barrett.

Asia News Royal Australian Air Force

From rotis to round-the-clock maintenance

13/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 117 Views 0 Comments No. 11 Squadron, Operation Gateway, P-8A Poseidon, Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth

What does it take to get 60 personnel and multiple aircraft operating as a seamless contingent overseas? CAPTION: Deputy Detachment Commander,

Captain Brendan Nguyen engages with a student during mental health training in Ho Chi Minh City. Story and photos by Lieutenant Carolyn Martin.

ADF People Health and Wellbeing Overseas

Army psych values training first-hand in Vietnam

13/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 130 Views 0 Comments UNMISS, Vietnam

Australian Army psychologist Captain Viet (Brendan) Nguyen returned to the homeland of his parents to assist in preparing Vietnam People’s

Deputy Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Matt Buckley, receives the 'Weight' of office on handover from Commodore Eric Young at Russell Offices, Canberra. Story by Lieutenant Carolyn Martin. Photo by Leading Seaman Jarrod Mulvihill.

ADF People

Deputy Chief of Navy’s submarine succession

13/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 130 Views 0 Comments

Rear Admiral Matt Buckley commenced as Deputy Chief of Navy (DCN) in January, the second submariner to take up the

Combat engineers from 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment train on the Australian Army's first assault breacher vehicles at Puckapunyal Military Area. Story by Major Dan Mazurek. Photos by Corporal Robert Whitmore.

Australian Army News

Sappers get hands on game changers

13/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 119 Views 0 Comments 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, Combat Engineering Vehicles (CEV), M1110 Joint Assault Bridge, M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle, Puckapunyal, Sapper, School of Armour (SoARMD)

Australian sappers got their hands dirty, literally and figuratively, on the newly delivered Combat Engineering Vehicles (CEV) in the Puckapunyal

Army forward arming and refuelling point operators, of 1st Aviation Regiment, carry out a weapon clearance drill on an ARH Tiger during Exercise Griffin Walk. Story and photos by Captain Tadek Markowski.

Australian Army News

Tigers defy the deluge in the Top End

13/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 87 Views 0 Comments 1st Aviation Regiment, AH-64E Apache, ARH Tiger, Exercise Griffin Walk

With the rain hammering down, Corporal Tuilakepa ‘Fiji’ Fakraufon is responding to rapid-fire technical questions as part of a post-activity

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 579 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

Army engineers from 6th Engineer Support Regiment clear the ground with a JCB Skid Steer Loader for the Army Ailan Community Assistance Program. Story and photos by Captain Joanne Leca.

Australian Army News

Engineers tackle offshore mission in Torres Strait

10/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 522 Views 0 Comments 6th Engineer Support Regiment, AACAP

Australian Army engineers took to the water with specialist equipment on three commercial barges to support a complex infrastructure mission

Lieutenant Commander Kieran Davis was awarded a Conspicuous Service Medal for his work on board HMAS Toowoomba. Story by Corporal Luke Bellman. Photo by Leading Seaman Ernesto Sanchez.

ADF People Royal Australian Navy

Toowoomba team delivers bonus for Anzac fleet

10/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 506 Views 0 Comments HMAS Toowoomba, King's Birthday Honours

By conducting thorough fault analysis, coordinating system-level testing and articulating complex problems for stakeholders, Lieutenant Commander Kieran Davis and his

Leading Seaman Sara, of HMAS Dechaineux, receives the Conspicuous Service Medal in the King’s Birthday Honours. Story by Sergeant Matthew Bickerton. Photo by Able Seaman Connor Morrison.

ADF People Royal Australian Navy

Chef celebrated for comfort food at sea

10/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 400 Views 0 Comments HMAS Dechaineux, King's Birthday Honours

Sailing through oceans deep beneath the waves, where it’s cold and confined, it’s often a simple, warm meal that brings

For his work during Operation Kudu, Squadron Leader Darrin Lindsay receives the Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours. Story by Corporal Luke Bellman. Photo by Leading Aircraftman Adam Abela.

ADF People Royal Australian Air Force

Building a strong team with honesty and leadership

10/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 197 Views 0 Comments King's Birthday Honours, Operation Kudu, Ukraine

From a base in Germany, Squadron Leader Darrin Lindsay commanded a 100-strong team flying E-7A Wedgetail missions for Operation Kudu,

His Majesty King Charles III inspects Australia's Federation Guard at Parliament House in Canberra on 21 October 2024. Photo by Nicole Minkowski.

ADF People

Military members honoured in King’s Birthday list

10/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 336 Views 0 Comments

KING’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS ADF personnel are recognised for a broad range of skills and contributions across three services in this

Members of HMAS Canberra's Standing Sea Fire and Emergency Party conduct damage control training with Chief Petty Officer Andrew Gibson from Sea Training Group during a transit to Wellington, New Zealand. Story by Lieutenant Michael Wilson. Photos by Petty Officer Jarrod Mulvihill.

Health and Wellbeing News Royal Australian Navy

First responders in seaborne damage control drills

06/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 832 Views 0 Comments HMAS Canberra, Sea Training Group

HMAS Canberra crew became their own first responders in damage control exercises off the coast of NSW, en route to

Airborne Electronics Analysts students, from left, Aircraftman (AC) Andres Anzola Sanmiguel, AC Jayden Fellas, AC Colin Curtis, Leading Aircraftman Dylan Livingstone, AC Andrey Ozborn and AC Clay Smith. Story by Flying Officer Rosetta Gigliotti. Photo by Sergeant John Hawxwell.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Enhanced training sets aircrew up for success

06/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 635 Views 0 Comments Air Mission Training School (AMTS), B-350 King Air, No. 32 Squadron, RAAF East Sale

The Air Mission Training School (AMTS) at RAAF Base East Sale has marked a significant milestone in the training of

Royal Australian Air Force personnel from Australia's Federation Guard and 100 Squadron carry the caskets of Warrant Officer Russell Grigg and Warrant Officer Clement Wiggins in Port Moresby, PNG. Story by Squadron Leader Karyn Markwell. Photos by Leading Aircraftwoman Aiesha Katz-White.

ADF People History Lest We Forget Royal Australian Air Force

World War 2 aviators laid to rest after eight decades

06/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 614 Views 0 Comments Historical Unrecovered War Casualties – Air Force (HUWC-AF), No. 100 Squadron, PNG, WWII

The remains of two aviators from 100 Squadron Beaufort A9-186 were laid to rest in a moving committal service on

OzHarvest and ADFA trainee officers and staff members participate in the Can the Cube donation drive. Story by Lieutenant Colonel Sandra Turner. Photos by Officer Cadet Jamie Doran.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

ADFA trainee officers’ can-do charity drive

06/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 396 Views 0 Comments ADFA

The Australian Defence Force Academy’s support of OzHarvest this year produced the biggest collection of non-perishable food items in Canberra.

Private Arianna Yunkaporta and Private Irwin Yunkaporta, of 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment, attend a Last Post ceremony at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Photos by Corporal Jarrod Moreels.

ADF People Australian Army History Lest We Forget

Emotional trip south for Indigenous soldiers

06/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 615 Views 0 Comments 51st Battalion Far North Queensland Regiment, Army Reserve, AWM, WWII

Canberra did not put on its best to welcome Arianna and Irwin Yunkaporta – the two Army Reserve soldiers from

Royal Australian Navy personnel and Taronga Zoo staff unload equipment donated by Port Services East, HMAS Kuttabul, for the elephants at Taronga Zoo, Sydney. Photo by Able Seaman Lauren Pugsley.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

Defence’s net zero target takes a day at the zoo

06/06/202507/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 549 Views 0 Comments Net Zero Strategy

Old wharf equipment is keeping Taronga Zoo’s animals entertained, and tyres and uniforms are taking on new forms, thanks to

Aviators from 2 and 29 Squadrons form both an honour guard and bearer party for the late Flight Lieutenant Brian Winspear in Mornington, Tasmania. Story by Flying Officer Matthew Dawson. Photos by Corporal Brett Sherriff.

ADF People History Lest We Forget Royal Australian Air Force

RAAF honours WW2 veteran, community stalwart

04/06/202507/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 648 Views 0 Comments No. 2 Squadron, No. 29 Squadron

Flight Lieutenant (retd) Brian Winspear, who died aged 104, has been remembered for his distinguished wartime service, post-war contributions to

Commodore Dan Sutherland with his family, wife Rita and children Edward, Juliet and Evie. Story by Lieutenant Felicity Jevardat de Fombelle.

ADF People Royal Australian Navy

Life lessons from a five-year-old girl

04/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 468 Views 0 Comments

Submarine chief Commodore Dan Sutherland has thought about leaving the Navy. Twice. CAPTION: Commodore Dan Sutherland with his family, wife Rita

← Previous