Australian Army – CONTACT magazine

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.

ADF wraps up Operation Steadfast

18/12/202518/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 200 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

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 583 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

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 497 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

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 792 Views 0 Comments

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

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 724 Views 1 Comment 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 1052 Views 1 Comment RAAF Amberley

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

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 529 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 512 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 411 Views 1 Comment 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 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 946 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

54th Siege Battery trains at Puckapunyal Military Area during Exercise Verbranden Road, honing skills with the high mobility artillery rocket system. Story by Major Tim Sydenham. Photos by Catlin Heggie.

Australian Army News

Battery refines shoot-and-scoot tactics with HIMARS

05/12/202505/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 751 Views 0 Comments 54th Siege Battery, Exercise Verbranden Road, HIMARS, Puckapunyal

The accelerated delivery program of the high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) continued with Exercise Verbranden Road last month. CAPTION:

Army’s new AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer fires during training at Puckapunyal, Victoria. Photos by Belinda Dinami.

Australian Army News

Aussie soldiers fire new AS9 Huntsman

03/12/202507/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1174 Views 1 Comment 4th Regiment Royal Australian Artillery, AS10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicle, AS9 Huntsman, School of Artillery

For the first time, Australian soldiers fired the cutting-edge AS9 Huntsman 155mm self-propelled howitzer on Australian soil on December 1,

Australian Army News Royal Australian Navy

HIMARS proves to be shipshape

02/12/202502/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 865 Views 0 Comments 54th Siege Battery, Fleet Base East, HIMARS, HMAS Canberra

It’s not the normal place you would expect to find Army’s high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS), but it turns

Medical personnel from the ADF, British Armed Forces and New Zealand Defence Force outside the refurbished medical facility at Camp Baird, United Arab Emirates. Story by Captain Karam Louli. Photos by Leading Seaman Kylie Jagiello.

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

Modernised medical centre reopens at Camp Baird

02/12/202502/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 728 Views 0 Comments Camp Baird, Middle East

Headquarters Middle East (HQME) has reopened a state-of-the-art medical facility at Camp Baird, Al Minhad Air Base (AMAB), the United

Australian and Philippine soldiers operate Zodiac inflatable boats as part of small boats and coastal defence training during Exercise Kasangga. Story by Warrant Officer Class 2 Max Bree.

Asia Australian Army News

Small boats, big connections

28/11/202528/11/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 656 Views 0 Comments 5th/7th Battalion RAR, Exercise Kasangga, Philippines

Three Zodiac boats full of Australian and Filipino soldiers landed on a rocky outcrop down the coast from a fortified

International partners train with Samoan Emergency Services and Police during Exercise Pacific Partnership in Samoa. Story by Captain Katy Manning. Photos by Corporal Dana Millington.

Australian Army News Pacific

The best prepare for the worst

28/11/202528/11/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 666 Views 0 Comments Headquarters 1st (Australian) Division, Samoa

Regional cooperation and disaster-response capability received a boost during the latest iteration of Exercise Pacific Partnership, held in Samoa. CAPTION:

An F-35A Lightning II from 77 Squadron takes off from RAAF Base Townsville, Queensland, during Exercise Black Dagger 25-2. Story by Flight Lieutenant Sharon Sebastian. Photos by Leading Aircraftwoman Nell Bradbury.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force

JTAC trainees take aim

28/11/202528/11/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 696 Views 0 Comments 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, Exercise Black Dagger, F-35A Lightning II, JTAC, No. 4 Squadron, No. 77 Squadron, PC-21, RAAF Townsville

Australia’s close air support capability was put to the test during Exercise Black Dagger 2025-2, which brought together air and

Australian Army Craftsman Marcus Szewczuk, of the 5th Aviation Regiment, stands before an Australian Army CH-47F Chinook in PNG. Story by Captain Tadek Markowski. Photos by Corporal Dana Millington.

ADF People Australian Army

Helicopter maintenance a family affair

28/11/202528/11/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 732 Views 1 Comment 5th Aviation Regiment, CH-47F Chinook, Exercise Helicon Luk, PNG

Sat in a distant corner of a hangar at the Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby, Craftsman Marcus Szewczuk, of

Australian Army Sapper Nicholas Carmont cooks food during a jungle survival course in the Philippines on Exercise Kasangga. Story by Warrant officer Class 2 Max Bree. Photos by Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Asia Australian Army News

Learning tricks of the tracking trade

26/11/202526/11/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 576 Views 0 Comments 5th/7th Battalion RAR, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Exercise Kasangga

Corporal Rory Murray thought he might’ve been OK at combat tracking as he followed bent leaves and footprints that turned

A TV crew films Australian soldiers as they conduct clearance operations as part of Exercise Arras Walk. Photo by Captain Mark Blackman.

Australian Army News

Urban exercise prepares soldiers for modern ops

26/11/202530/11/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 618 Views 0 Comments 4th Brigade, 8th/7th Royal Victorian Regiment, Army Reserve, casevac, Exercise Arras Walk, Puckapunyal

Victorian and Tasmanian soldiers took to the streets of Bendigo in full combat ensemble as part of a 10-day training

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