News – Page 2 – CONTACT magazine

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

From Mechanical Mule to modern mobility

13/01/202613/01/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 615 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

An Australian Army M142 HIMARS is prepared for loading onto a United States Air Force C-17 Globemaster III at RAAF Base Amberley. Photo by Corporal Jesse Linards.

Australian Army News USA

Kenney Strikes Back in north and south parks

10/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1357 Views 0 Comments HIMARS

The Australian Army, United States Army and United States Air Force demonstrated a new capability as part of Exercise Kenney

A soldier views the new mySPECTRA software on his work computer. Photo by Corporal Luke Bellman.

ADF News Science & Technology

New software to manage Defence radio frequencies

10/01/202610/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1125 Views 0 Comments

Defence has completed operational test and evaluation on the new mySPECTRA software, designed to modernise management of the electromagnetic spectrum

Australian Olympians Haylie Powell and Natalya Diehm, Australian Olympic Committee member Melissa Romer, and Senior Indigenous Liaison Officer, Squadron Leader Coen Henry, sit on the ramp of a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules during Exercise Christmas Hop 2025, over the Northern Territory. Photo by Leading Aircraftman Campbell Latch.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Olympian joins RAAF

10/01/202610/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1005 Views 0 Comments

Women’s Olympic street skateboarder Haylie Powell is excited to be following in her parents’ footsteps by joining the Royal Australian

Group Captain Adam Saber gives a farewell gift to outgoing Commander Air Mobility Group, Air Commodore Bradley Clarke at a Change of Command ceremony at RAAF Base Richmond. Photo by Leading Aircraftwoman Mikaela Fernlund.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Change of command at Air Mobility Group

10/01/202610/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 930 Views 0 Comments

Air Mobility Group (AMG) aviators marched on the tarmac at RAAF Base Richmond on December 10 to farewell the outgoing

Warrant Officer of the Air Force Warrant Officer Ralph Clifton presents acting Flight Lieutenant Thomas James Carmody’s Australian Service Medal 1939–1945 and War Medal 1939–1945 to Julie Carmody. Photo: Aircraftman Jakob Reid.

News Royal Australian Air Force Veterans

War hero’s medals awarded 80 years late

10/01/202610/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 962 Views 0 Comments

Fire, exploding ammunition and a collapsing aircraft hangar didn’t stop acting Flight Lieutenant Tom Carmody (deceased) during the Second World

News Veterans

National Commemorative Service to honour Nashos

03/01/202603/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2551 Views 6 Comments

On 14 February 2026, National Servicemen’s Day, a National Commemorative Service in Canberra will mark 75 years since the inception of

Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force members participate in Virtual Flag: Coalition 26-1 at the 705th Combat Training Squadron, also known as the Distributed Mission Operations Center, at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force USA

Coalition enhanced on virtual Red Flag

03/01/202603/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1365 Views 0 Comments

The Virtual Flag: Coalition exercise, hosted annually by the 705th Combat Training Squadron, also known as the Distributed Mission Operations

Editor's Blog News

CONTACT sets massive new record

03/01/202603/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1023 Views 0 Comments

CONTACT has set a massive new record for the number of pages viewed on its web site in a calendar

Australian Army officer Captain Steve Ceccato, a dentist in the field hospital facility at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in North Queensland during Exercise Talisman Saber. Photo by Leading Seaman Jake Badior.

News Veterans

New veteran dental-care arrangements

03/01/202603/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3318 Views 2 Comments

New dental-care arrangements for veterans will see easier access to more dental providers and increase the money veterans can access

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 1854 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 1731 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 1638 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 1119 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 1326 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 1077 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 1301 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 1285 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 1096 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 1294 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