News – CONTACT magazine

Crewmembers of HMNZS Aotearoa disembarked to a warm welcome home after an 8-month deployment. NZDF photo.

New Zealand News

HMNZS Aotearoa home after 8-month deployment

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 205 Views 0 Comments

Friends, family, haka, senior defence leaders and the Royal New Zealand Navy band were all on hand at Devonport Naval

n MQ-28A Ghost Bat is loaded with a NAIM-120 inert air-to-air missile variant at the ordnance loading area during Trial Kareela at RAAF Base Woomera, South Australia. Story by Squadron Leader Chris Moon. Photos by Aircraftman Ivan Smotrov.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Ghost Bat hits target in live fire

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 242 Views 0 Comments MQ-28A Ghost Bat, RAAF Woomera

The Australian designed and manufactured MQ-28A Ghost Bat achieved another major milestone, becoming one of the first collaborative combat aircraft

An Australian Army military working dog engages a professional K9 decoy during the Irondog K9 Adaptive Deployment Workshop at Rakula in the Northern Territory. Story by Lieutenant Colonel Carrie Robards. Photos by Captain Jeremy Wikner.

Australian Army K9 Training News

Dogs and handlers sink their teeth into workshop

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 208 Views 0 Comments Military Working Dogs

A group of Army military working dogs (MWDs) and handlers practised their often dangerous and unpredictable work in the red

Royal Australian Air Force officers Air Commodore Adam Spinks, left, and Air Commodore Bill Hayden unveil the Australian Armourers Association plaque at the RAAF Memorial Grove, Canberra. Story and photos by Corporal Michael Rogers.

History Lest We Forget News Royal Australian Air Force

Memorial enshrines Air Force ‘gunnies’

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 194 Views 0 Comments

More than a century after Australian aircrew first dropped bombs over the Middle East, a memorial has been dedicated to

Soldiers from the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, conduct an urban assault with soldiers from the Indonesian National Armed Forces, at Robertson Barracks, NT. Story by Captain Nicholas Marquis. Photos by Private Oscar Hanson

Australian Army News

Exercise with allies ends on a high

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 212 Views 0 Comments 5th/7th Battalion RAR, Exercise Wirra Jaya, Indonesian National Armed Forces

Handshakes, high-fives, patch swapping and a good old laugh – what better way to finish an exercise. CAPTION: Soldiers from

Medical officer Flight Lieutenant Alannah Frazzetto, of 1 Expeditionary Health Services, Royal Australian Air Force, serves on Operation Gateway at RMAF Butterworth, Malaysia. Story by Flight Lieutenant Brent Moloney. Photos by Corporal Andrew Shaw.

Asia News Royal Australian Air Force

Teams behind the scenes on Op Gateway

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 198 Views 0 Comments Operation Gateway, P-8A Poseidon, Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth

Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircrew flew long sorties over the North Indian Ocean or the South China Sea

A Lockheed Martin employee handling a HIMARS missile at Port Wakefield. Lockheed Martin video screen grab.

Australian Army News Sovereign industry

Lockheed Martin commences missile assembly at Port Wakefield

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 394 Views 0 Comments

Lockheed Martin Australia, in partnership with Defence, has commenced operations in a new Missile Assembly Facility in Port Wakefield, South

New Zealand soldiers supervise Ukrainian soldiers during an urban-operations training session. NZDF photo.

Europe New Zealand News

New Zealand Defence Force teams provide specialist training to Ukraine forces

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 268 Views 0 Comments

Specialist teams of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel continue to train Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) personnel in the

Combat assault dog, Fax, posthumously receives an Australian Animal Distinguished Service Medal at a ceremony at Special Air Service Regiment in Perth. Story by Major S.

Australian Army History Lest We Forget News

Combat assault dog honoured

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 341 Views 0 Comments Afghanistan, Australian Animal Distinguished Service Award, Military Working Dogs

In a moving ceremony in Perth last month, Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) combat assault dog, Fax, posthumously received the

Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force personnel with the new Kenworth prime mover truck at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. Story by Corporal Luke Bellman. Photo by Leading Aircraftwoman Nell Bradbury.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force

New vehicles to keep Army on the move

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 636 Views 0 Comments RAAF Amberley

Updated collision mitigation, braking technology, digitised fleet management and driver assist systems are some of the features of the new

Pilots from four nations – the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, second from right, and United States Air Force sit in the cockpit of a CC-177 Globemaster (701) during a flight to Canadian Forces Station Alert. Story by Taster Murdoch. Photos by Corporal Gwyneth Lovell, Canadian Armed Forces.

News Overseas Royal Australian Air Force

Operation Boxtop on top of the world

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 362 Views 0 Comments Canadian Armed Forces, No. 36 Squadron, Operation Boxtop, US Air Force

Members from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) 36 Squadron joined international forces for Operation Boxtop to resupply bases in the

Ship's company of HMA Ships Bathurst, Albany and Childers line the decks during the decommissioning ceremony held at HMAS Coonawarra, in the Northern Territory. Story by Lieutenant Commander Anthony Martin. Photos by Leading Seaman Lauren Pugsley.

News Royal Australian Navy

Armidale-class sails into history

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 362 Views 0 Comments Armidale-class patrol boat, decommissioning, HMAS Albany, HMAS Bathurst, HMAS Childers, HMAS Coonawarra

Navy has formally farewelled the three remaining Armidale-class patrol boats, HMA Ships Albany, Bathurst and Childers, in a solemn decommissioning ceremony at HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin.

Army soldiers and officers from the 1st Aviation Regiment stand on parade in Gaza Lines at Robertson Barracks, NT. Story and photos by Captain Chloe Ellwood.

Australian Army News

Parades mark Army aviation milestones

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 400 Views 0 Comments 16th Aviation Brigade, 1st Aviation Regiment, AH-64E Apache, Robertson Barracks

The 16th Aviation Brigade marked several key milestones at two ceremonial parades this month. CAPTION: Army soldiers and officers from

Australian and Philippine Army mortarmen fire an 81mm mortar during Exercise Kasangga. Story by Captain Annie Richardson. Photo by Warrant Officer Class 2 Max Bree.

Asia Australian Army News

Philippines engagement taken to new level

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 308 Views 0 Comments Armed Forces of the Philippines, Exercise Kasangga, Joint Australian Training Team – Philippines (JATT-P), Philippines

The Australian Defence Force and Armed Forces of the Philippines completed their largest dedicated program of training and expertise exchange

Corporal Tiger Jefferys with his gold medal awarded from Exercise Cambrian Patrol, at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, In October. Story by Corporal Jacob Joseph. Photo by Lance Corporal Caitlyn Davill.

ADF People Australian Army

Army names outstanding junior leader

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 238 Views 0 Comments 1RAR, Duke of Gloucester Cup

A section commander of 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), who led the winning Duke of Gloucester (DoG) Cup

An Australian designed and built MQ-28A Ghost Bat fires an AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile during Trial Kareela at RAAF Base Woomera, South Australia. RAAF image.

Australian News Royal Australian Air Force Science & Technology Sovereign industry

MQ-28A Ghost Bat wins big after live fire

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 576 Views 0 Comments

The Australian government will invest approximately $1.4 billion to transition the MQ-28A Ghost Bat into a fully operational war-fighting asset

Ngāti Tūmatauenga, the New Zealand Army formally stands up its newly-formed Motorised Infantry Battalion at Linton Military Camp on Friday 5 December, 2025. RNZDF photo.

New Zealand News

NZ Army creates new motorised infantry battalion

07/12/202507/12/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 844 Views 1 Comment

A newly-formed unit of the New Zealand Army, Ngāti Tūmatauenga, was formally called to attention this week. CAPTION: Ngāti Tūmatauenga,

An Australian Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter flies through Blacktown, NSW, during a training exercise. Story by Captain Chloe Ellwood. Photo by Private C.

Australian Army News

New Blackhawks conduct urban training

05/12/202507/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 829 Views 1 Comment 16th Aviation Brigade, counter-terrorism, UH-60M Black Hawk

Australian Army personnel conducted aviation training with UH-60M Black Hawks across the greater Sydney and Goulburn regions throughout October and

Members of HMAS Ballarat's ship's company prepare to scatter the ashes of four Royal Australia Navy sailors and one Royal Navy sailor during a committal of ashes to the sea ceremony off the coast of Australia. Story by Sub-Lieutenant Jake Badior. Photos by Leading Seaman Connor Morrison.

ADF People Lest We Forget Royal Australian Navy

One final wish: Committal of ashes to the sea

05/12/202505/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 731 Views 0 Comments HMAS Ballarat

HMAS Ballarat has honoured the life and service of four former Royal Australian Navy members and one Royal Navy sailor by committing

Australian and Philippine Air Force members and representatives of Wheelchairs for Kids and the Angeles City Returned Services League, with two of the wheelchairs delivered to Clark Air Base, Philippines.

Asia Health and Wellbeing News Royal Australian Air Force

Wheelchairs fly so children can thrive

05/12/202505/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 566 Views 0 Comments Armed Forces of the Philippines, C-130J Hercules, RAAF Richmond, RSL

On November 18, some important and precious Christmas gifts sat on board a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules. CAPTION:

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