Defence Australia

Momentum unleashed 🔥

Personnel from the Australian Army's 1st Brigade, Marine Rotational Force Darwin, and supporting units conducted Exercise Predators Walk from 18 May to 12 June 2026 across multiple Defence training areas in the 📍 Northern Territory.

Exercise Predators Walk focused on certifying 1st Brigade for combat operations through realistic and demanding collective training activities.

The exercise enabled the Brigade to rehearse combined arms manoeuvre, command and control, sustainment, force protection and live-fire serials in a complex operating environment.

📷 CPL Michael Currie & PTE Darcy Fisher

Maldives welcomed Australian-gifted Guardian-class Patrol Boat to its home port for the first time 🚢

Transiting from Perth to Malé, the longest voyage conducted by a Guardian, the vessel will boost Maldives’ sovereign capability to contribute to northeast Indian Ocean maritime security, and is a milestone in Australia-Maldives defence cooperation 🇦🇺 🇲🇻

All 24 vessels delivered under the SEA 3036-1 project are now operated by our Indo-Pacific partners as their sovereign assets, reflecting Defence’s ongoing commitment to enabling the region’s resilience, stability and prosperity.

Boarding ops 🌊

Australian Clearance Diver Team One recently conducted Boarding Operations training on board MV Sycamore in 📍 Jervis Bay, NSW.

Team One has been working toward the generation of a deployable Boarding capability and has spent a number of weeks working with Cape Otway conducting component and scenario training to support the generation of this capability.

📷 LSIS Susan Mossop

Royal Australian Navy

Exercise Southern Jackaroo 🇦🇺 🇺🇸 🇯🇵 🇵🇬 🇰🇷

Around 3000 personnel are participating in the Australian Army’s largest domestic multinational exercise this year.

The 3rd Brigade is in Townsville with personnel from the United States, Japan, Papua New Guinea and South Korea for Exercise Southern Jackaroo from May 29 to July 3.

📷 CPL Russell Martin & Mrs Linda Bone

陸上自衛隊 Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Papua New Guinea Defence Force U.S. Army Marine Rotational Force Darwin U.S. Indo-Pacific Command 대한민국 육군 (Republic of Korea Army)

Steel fixed, mind focused ⚔️

Soldiers from the 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment - Australian Army recently conducted live-fire and bayonet training during Exercise Bardia at 📍 Puckapunyal Military Area, VIC.

The activity strengthened section-level combat skills, aggression in close combat, weapons proficiency and teamwork in a field training environment.

📷 PTE Sera Mar

Australian Army

A message on the 30th anniversary of the Black Hawk accident.

Lest we forget 🌹

Strengthening partnerships 🇦🇺 🤝 🇸🇧

RSIPF Constables Melville Manetoea and Justin Apa underwent a Royal Australian Navy training package at 📍 HMAS Cerberus, VIC.

Working closely with Australian partners, both officers demonstrated their expertise across a range of technical and operational tasks, highlighting the value of real-world training in strengthening readiness and professionalism.

The training package was conducted under the Solomon Islands-Australia Defence Cooperation Program, underlining ongoing support for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, reinforcing strong partnerships and a shared commitment to community safety and security.

📷 POIS Bradley Darvill

Raising capability across the Pacific 🇦🇺 🇵🇬 🇫🇯 🇹🇴

Senior military leaders from Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Tonga have visited a Pacific-led police program in Brisbane that provides specialist training to hundreds of officers from 22 nations across the Pacific.

For many of the police men and women undertaking the intensive 24-week course, it is the first time out of their country. And for some, a challenge to travel to Australia.

Read more ➡️ http://spr.ly/6181B808K3

📷 LSIS Rikki-Lea Phillips

Sending the thunder ⚡

When the first Australian-made AS9 Huntsman fired on its distant target, you’d have been forgiven for mistaking it for cracks of thunder, which is fitting considering the name of its Korean predecessor, Hanwha’s ‘K9 Thunder’.

Thirty gunners from Townsville’s 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, fired the new domestically produced AS9 self-propelled howitzers at the conclusion of a six-week course at the School of Artillery in 📍 Puckapunyal, VIC.

Read more ➡️ http://spr.ly/6188B8qF6w

📷 CPL Luke Bellman

Australian Army

King’s Birthday military honours list

The list recognises work across a wide range of areas, from shipbuilding and engineering to operations and international peacekeeping, ADF members from Navy, Army and Air Force have been recognised in the 2026 King’s Birthday military honours list.

This year, 97 ADF members have received honours for distinguished and conspicuous service. Recipients range in rank from leading seaman to rear admiral, reflecting contributions made at every level of the Australian Defence Force.

Congratulations to all 👏

Read more ➡️ http://spr.ly/6186B8xipi