Posted by Mike Hughes, Author at CONTACT magazine

Defence and civilian agencies handle simulated mass casualties from a truck-on-train crash scenario in rural Victoria. Story by Corporal Luke Bellman. Photos by Private Nicholas Stoewer.

Train-wreck drill tests emergency response

20/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 501 Views 0 Comments

Smoke, screams and chaos set the scene as a truck ploughed into a train packed with football fans during a

From left, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, Corporal Matthew Thornton, Flight Lieutenant Edwin Betar and Warrant Officer – Air Force Ralph Clifton at the Air Force writing awards presentation. Story by Squadron Leader Sacha Mondon. Photos by Flight Sergeant Kev Berriman.

ADF People Royal Australian Air Force

Awards honour outstanding writers

17/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 849 Views 0 Comments Chief of Air Force

An essay about the hazards of the ADF becoming dependent on contractors and industry, and a paper on the necessity

Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (Royal Malaysian Navy) Observer Lieutenant Dain monitors shipping movements onboard an Australian P-8A Poseidon during a sortie on Operation Gateway 25-1/2. Photo by Sergeant Craig Barrett.

Asia News Royal Australian Air Force Videos

Butterworth engagement on Op Gateway 25

17/06/202522/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 999 Views 0 Comments Operation Gateway, P-8A Poseidon, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth

In a display of international collaboration, 92 Wing Alpha Detachment hosted Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Butterworth’s key leadership and

Australian Army soldier Corporal Hyun Kim is promoted by Commander 1st (Australian) Division, Major General Ash Collingburn during Exercise Freedom Shield at Camp Yongin, Republic of Korea. Story by Captain Cody Tsaousis. Photos by Sergeant Won Kyu Jeon (Republic of Korea).

ADF People Asia Australian Army

Linguist left speechless at award ceremony

17/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 802 Views 0 Comments Army Reserve, Exercise Freedom Shield, linguists, South Korea, United Nations Command (UNC)

Army reservist Corporal Hyun Kim was promoted from craftsman to corporal and presented with an Army Silver Commendation during Exercise

Australian Army Private Kamarga Rogers, from 3rd Close Health Battalion, discusses medical techniques with Lieutenant Susami Shiori of the Japan Self-Defense Force during Operation Render Safe. Story by Captain Katy Manning. Photos by Petty Officer Bradley Darvill.

ADF People Australian Army Overseas

Army medic relishes first deployment

17/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1037 Views 0 Comments 3rd Health Battalion, Japan Self-Defense Force, Operation Render Safe, PNG, unexploded ordnance, WWII

In the tropical terrain of East New Britain, Australian Defence Force personnel are working with international partners to help make

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.

New Zealand News Royal Australian Navy

Sister cities bond during parade

13/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1297 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 1069 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 1056 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 601 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

Australian Army finally gets combat engineer vehicles

13/06/202515/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1364 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

Training Tigers to handle Apaches

13/06/202515/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 684 Views 0 Comments 1st Aviation Regiment, AH-64E Apache, ARH Tiger, Exercise Griffin Walk

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

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 1068 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

10/06/202515/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 952 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 739 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

CSM for comfort food under the waves

10/06/202523/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 639 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 355 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 587 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 1054 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 806 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 II aviators laid to rest after eight decades

06/06/202517/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 778 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