February 2022 - Australia Special Weapons News

Aussie state reports highest daily COVID-19 cases ahead of border reopening People's Daily 28 Feb 2022 -- The state of Western Australia (WA) recorded its highest number of COVID-19 cases on Monday, while the state prepares to reopen its border.
Army aircrews to the rescue Australia DOD 27 Feb 2022 -- The Australian Army has provided critical support to the emerging Queensland flood crisis.
Protesters in Australia Condemn Russia's Invasion of Ukraine VOA 25 Feb 2022 -- Hundreds of Australians of Ukrainian descent joined those with Russian heritage to demonstrate against the Russian invasion of Ukraine in downtown Sydney on Friday.
Cope North strengthens ties Australia DOD 25 Feb 2022 -- Enhancing Australian, Japanese and United States relationships was a key outcome of Exercise Cope North 2022, which concluded on February 18.
Secretary Blinken's Call with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne US Dept. of State 25 Feb 2022
Integrated flying at its finest Australia DOD 24 Feb 2022 -- Combat and airspace battle management aircraft ruled the skies over Guam during Exercise Cope North 22, executing multinational missions.
Australia's Antarctic Plans Anger China VOA 24 Feb 2022 -- China has condemned Australia's plans to boost its scientific and strategic presence in Antarctica. The government in Canberra on Tuesday announced plans to fly a fleet of surveillance drones and long-range helicopters over the icy continent.
Readout: Australia, Japan, U.S. Trilateral Engagement US Navy 23 Feb 2022 -- U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Samuel Paparo hosted a trilateral engagement with the chiefs of navies from Australia and Japan in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Feb. 21-22.
New contract for fast-jet training aircraft Australia DOD 23 Feb 2022 -- Minister for Defence Peter Dutton announced on February 21 that the Australian Government has committed $1.5 billion to upgrade and extend in-service support for the Royal Australian Air Force's Hawk 127 Lead-In Fighter Training System, based in the Hunter region and Perth.
Release of the Combined Space Operations Vision 2031 statement Australia DOD 23 Feb 2022 -- Senior Defence officials from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA, have come together to release the Combined Space Operations (CSpO) Vision 2031 statement.
UK and partners publish vision for responsible space operations UK MOD 22 Feb 2022 -- As part of the Combined Space Operations Initiative (CSpO), the UK has published a vision affirming a commitment to lead as responsible actors in space.
DoD and Partners Release Combined Space Operations Vision 2031 DoD 22 Feb 2022 -- The United States joins Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom in the joint release of the "Combined Space Operations (CSpO) Vision 2031" today.
Australia - LAIRCM Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) DSCA 22 Feb 2022 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of LAIRCM Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $122 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
Chinese ship lasing of P-8A Poseidon on 17 February 2022 Australia DOD 22 Feb 2022 -- On 17 February 2022, an Australian Maritime Patrol Aircraft P-8A Poseidon detected a laser illuminating the aircraft while it was conducting a routine surveillance flight over Australia's northern approaches.
Australia, China trade accusations over laser use against aircraft Radio Free Asia 22 Feb 2022 -- A war of words between Australia and China intensified Tuesday as Canberra accused Beijing of violating international law when a Chinese navy ship allegedly pointed a laser at an Australian surveillance airplane.
Australia Reopens Borders to International Tourists as Strict COVID-19 Controls Relaxed VOA 21 Feb 2022 -- Australia Monday reopened its borders to double vaccinated international tourists. They have been shut out since March 2020 under some of the world's toughest COVID-19 measures.
Australia Lifts COVID Restrictions and Welcomes Travelers VOA 21 Feb 2022 -- "Today we rejoined the world," said Australia's New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrotte Monday, as the country opened to international travelers after lifting COVID-19 restrictions that had been imposed for nearly two years.
Darwin maintenance centre plan progresses Australia DOD 21 Feb 2022 -- Prime Minister Scott Morrison on February 18 announced the release of a tender for an industry partner to head a new Navy regional maintenance centre in Darwin.
China slams Australia's groundless accusations on PLA Navy's operations against ADF aircraft's approach PLA Daily 21 Feb 2022 -- The Chinese PLA naval vessel maintained safe, normative and professional operations all along in the whole process when encountering the aircraft attached to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), which conforms to the International Law and related international practices, said Spokesperson Senior Colonel Tan Kefei of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Monday.
Canberra Calls on Beijing to Conduct 'Full Investigation' Into PLA Navy Vessel Laser Incident Sputnik 21 Feb 2022 -- Canberra says that its P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft was targeted by a laser from a Chinese navy vessel in the Arafura Sea on 17 February. Australia has also released images of the PLA-N's Luyang-class guided missile destroyer and Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock vessel doing rounds of Australian waters last week to back its claims.
UPDATE: Australia's claim about PLA vessel's laser deployment false: Chinese authorities Global Times 22 Feb 2022 -- Australia's accusation that a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy flotilla pointed a laser at an Australian patrol aircraft is false, and it was the Australian aircraft that flew close to the Chinese vessels and provocatively dropped sonobuoys, Chinese authorities said on Monday.
China Accuses Australian Aircraft of 'Harassing' PLA Navy Vessels & Dropping Sonar Around Them Sputnik 21 Feb 2022 -- Canberra alleges that its P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft was targeted by a laser from a Chinese navy vessel in the Arafura Sea on 17 February. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that the lasing incident "endangered" the lives of Australian defence personnel.
China Slams Australia for 'Maliciously' Spreading Info Over Laser Incident Involving PLA Ship Sputnik 21 Feb 2022 -- Canberra alleges that its P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft was targeted by a laser from a Chinese navy vessel in the Arafura Sea on 17 February. The sea is located off Australia's northern coast, between its Northern Territory and the Indonesian province of Papua.
Australia's accusation of PLA vessel's laser deployment 'false mud-throwing at China' Global Times 21 Feb 2022 -- Australia on Saturday accused a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy flotilla of aiming at laser at an Australian patrol aircraft, calling the move "unsafe," but this only exposes the Australian aircraft's unsafe, provocative close-in reconnaissance on the Chinese ships in the first place, and it is an attempt to throw mud at China when the PLA has been sending assistance to other countries in the region like Tonga and the Solomon Islands, helping them overcome disaster and epidemic, experts said on Sunday.
Chinese vessel lasing ADF aircraft Australia DOD 19 Feb 2022 -- Defence can confirm that on 17 February 2022, a P-8A Poseidon detected a laser illuminating the aircraft while in flight over Australia's northern approaches.
Australia Accuses Chinese Guided-Missile Destroyer of Aiming Laser at Its Surveillance Aircraft Sputnik 19 Feb 2022 -- The incident comes amid strained ties between Australia and China over Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanding an international enquiry into the origins of COVID-19 and an ongoing trade war between the two nations. China, Australia's largest trading partner, is also unhappy about Canberra's membership of US-led alliances such as Quad and AUKUS.
Secretary Blinken's Trilateral Meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Payne and UK Foreign Secretary Truss on AUKUS US Dept. of State 19 Feb 2022
U.S. Navy, Royal Australian Navy Hold Strategic Dialogue US Navy 17 Feb 2022 -- Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy, Vice Adm. Bill Merz and his Australian counterpart, Rear Admiral Chris Smith, Royal Australian Navy, Deputy Chief of Navy, co-hosted a strategic dialogue via video teleconference Feb. 16.
Advancing maritime interoperability Australia DOD 16 Feb 2022 -- Flying at low level, a No. 11 Squadron P-8A Poseidon hunts a silent simulated target beneath the waters of Guam as part of Exercise Sea Dragon 2022.
Working together to support Tonga Australia DOD 16 Feb 2022 -- Australian Defence Force and Republic of Fiji Military Forces personnel are working side-by-side on Atata Island in Tonga to clear tsunami debris, remediate eroded beaches and make community buildings safe.
Statement from Chief of Air Force - Flying Hours for the F-35A Lightning ll Australia DOD 15 Feb 2022 -- "I reject criticisms made in The Australian article 'Defence revises down planned availability of the F-35A jet fleet'. The criticisms contained are completely unfounded."
HMAS Supply arrives in Tonga Australia DOD 15 Feb 2022 -- Navy auxiliary oiler replenishment ship HMAS Supply arrived in Tongan waters as part of Operation Tonga Assist 2022 on February 12.
No one has better claim to "master of coercion" title than U.S.: FM spokesperson People's Daily 12 Feb 2022 -- In response to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's claim that China coerced Australia by economic means, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday that no one has a better claim to the title of "master of coercion" than the United States.
Joint Statement on Quad Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific US Dept. of State 11 Feb 2022 -- The following is the joint statement released by the Secretary of State of the United States and the Foreign Ministers of the Governments of Australia, India, and Japan.
Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi At a Joint Press Availability US Dept. of State 11 Feb 2022
Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, And Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 11 Feb 2022
Secretary Antony J. Blinken Opening Remarks at the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue Meeting US Dept. of State 11 Feb 2022
Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials Previewing the U.S.'s Indo-Pacific Strategy The White House 11 Feb 2022
US logistics visit reinforces commitment to AUSMIN 2021 outcomes Australia DOD 11 Feb 2022 -- A United States delegation, led by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Director for Logistics and Engineering, Brigadier General Jered Helwig, will visit bases and facilities in Australia to progress the Australian-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) 2021 commitments.
Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Payne US Dept. of State 11 Feb 2022
Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 10 Feb 2022
Blinken Arrives in Australia to Tout US Focus on Pacific VOA 09 Feb 2022 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Australia on Wednesday on a trip aimed at reinforcing the Biden administration's commitment to the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions, while also focusing on the crisis in Ukraine.
Amberley hosts Japan Air Self-Defense Force Australia DOD 08 Feb 2022 -- RAAF Base Amberley is hosting a number of Japan Air Self-Defense Force aircraft, which are using the base to load and deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies to the Kingdom of Tonga following the underwater volcano eruption.
Australia's hasty nuclear submarine plan to be outpaced by China's development: experts Global Times 08 Feb 2022 -- In an attempt to contain China, Australian Defense Minister recently said that Australia could get the first nuclear submarine under the framework of AUKUS before 2038. However, Chinese military experts said on Tuesday that this delivery schedule is too hasty and China's rapid development during this period will outpace the Australian one.
Australia Reopening to Tourists As COVID-19 Border Closures Set to End VOA 07 Feb 2022 -- Australia is to reopen its borders to vaccinated international travelers on February 21. The move comes almost two years after borders were closed as part of efforts to control the spread of COVID-19.
Exercise Cope North commences Australia DOD 07 Feb 2022 -- The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has deployed aircraft and personnel to Guam and other islands in Micronesia to conduct Exercise Cope North 22 with the United States Air Force and the Koku-Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force).
Arunta departs for three-month deployment Australia DOD 02 Feb 2022 -- HMAS Arunta sailed from her home port of Fleet Base East on January 28 for a three-month regional presence deployment.
Hercules reaches 850,000 flying hours Australia DOD 02 Feb 2022 -- The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has surpassed 850,000 flying hours with the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
Australian Schools Seek COVID-19-Safe Plan VOA 01 Feb 2022 -- Mask mandates and regular rapid antigen tests are part of COVID-19-safe plans for the start Tuesday of the new school year in Australia's most populous state, New South Wales. Thousands of daily new coronavirus infections and dozens of deaths are being reported in Australia, but authorities say it is safe for classes to resume.

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February 2022 - Australia Special Weapons News