Newsletter Telephone: (02) 9393 2325 Issue No

Locked Bag 18, Royal United Services Institute Darlinghurst NSW 2010 New South Wales Level 20, 270 Pit Street1 SYDNEY NSW 2000 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Newsletter Telephone: (02) 9393 2325 Issue No. 11 - June 2015 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Introduction

Welcome to this month’s issue of the electronic newsletter of the Royal United Services Institute of NSW (RUSI NSW), the aim of which is to provide members, stakeholders, and other interested parties up to date news of our latest activities and events as well as selective information on defence issues.

There is no charge to receive this newsletter electronically and recipients are not required to be a member of the RUSI of NSW. Invite your colleagues to receive this newsletter by going to the newsletter page on the RUSI NSW website http://www.rusinsw.org.au/Newsletter where they can register their email contact details.

Latest News and Events

Minister for Defence concludes the 14th Shangri-La Dialogue At the conclusion of the 14th annual Shangri-La Dialogue conducted in Singapore by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) over 29 -31 May, the Minister for Defence issued a statement which included the following comments.

“Over the past few days I have met with many colleagues to share perspectives on the regional implications of global security issues, including terrorism in the Middle East, Admiral Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of staff of China's People's Liberation Army maritime security and building regional cooperation. In Image source: Xinhua, english.news.cn my address to the final plenary session of the Dialogue, Global Security Challenges and the Asia-Pacific: Building Cooperation between Regions, I highlighted the Indo-Pacific’s economic interdependence and the role of secure sea lines in building our region’s prosperity. This shared interest in economic prosperity and trade routes is already enhancing cooperation on security challenges that affect all of us, such as natural disasters, maritime piracy, and terrorism.

“I also participated in the fifth Australia-Japan- United States Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting, which was attended by the United States Secretary of Defense, Dr Ashton B. Carter, and Japan’s Minister for Defense, Mr Gen Nakatani. We discussed enhancements to trilateral defence cooperation between Australia, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivering the Japan and the United States on regional security keynote address Image source: Youtube challenges, including maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 1 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Public Release of China’s Military Strategy

The USNI News Weekly Update for 27th May 2015 included reference to the release by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense on 26 May of the first public Chinese Military Strategy White Paper which outlines a new policy of “active defense”. The contents of the paper include a preface and sections on 1. National Security Situation, 2. Missions and Strategic Tasks of China’s Armed Forces, 3. Strategic Guideline of Active Defense, 4. Building and Development of China’s Armed Forces, 5. Preparation for Military Struggle, and 6. Military and Security Cooperation. The Preface is completed below and the rest of the content can be accessed via USNI http://news.usni.org/2015/05/26/document-chinas-military-strategy#more- 13009

Preface: The world today is undergoing unprecedented changes, and China is at a critical stage of reform and development. In their endeavor to realize the Chinese Dream of great national rejuvenation, the Chinese people aspire to join hands with the rest of the world to maintain peace, pursue development and share prosperity.

China’s destiny is vitally interrelated with that of the world as a whole. A prosperous and stable world would provide China with opportunities, while China’s peaceful development also offers an opportunity for the whole world. China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, pursue an independent foreign policy of peace and a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, oppose hegemonism and power politics in all forms, and will never seek hegemony or expansion. China’s armed forces will remain a staunch force in maintaining world peace.

Building a strong national defense and powerful armed forces is a strategic task of China’s modernization drive and a security guarantee for China’s peaceful development. Subordinate to and serving the national strategic goal, China’s military strategy is an overarching guidance for blueprinting and directing the building and employment of the country’s armed forces. At this new historical starting point, China’s armed forces will adapt themselves to new changes in the national security environment, firmly follow the goal of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to build a strong military for the new situation, implement the military strategic guideline of active defense in the new situation, accelerate the modernization of national defense and armed forces, resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, and provide a strong guarantee for achieving the national strategic goal of the “two centenaries” and for realizing the Chinese Dream of Naval honour guard at the Liaoning. achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese”’ Image Source: Xinhua News Agency Photo

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 2 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Army bids farewell to Chief

The Chief of the Australian Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO, officially handed over the command of the Army at a parade in Canberra on 15 May. After four years as the Army’s Chief, Lieutenant General Morrison has passed command to Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, DSC, AM. Lieutenant General Morrison expressed his gratitude to his colleagues, friends and family for their support during his 36 year career which has included roles in Operation Lagoon in Papua New Guinea, INTERFET in Timor Leste; Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR), Commander of the 3rd Brigade, and Commander, Forces Command. Lieutenant General Campbell has served as the Commander of the Joint Agency Task Force for Operation Sovereign Borders, overseen operations in the Middle East as Commander Joint Task Force 633 and commanded on operations in Timor-Leste. Lieutenant General Campbell officially took command of the Australian Army at 12:01am, Saturday, 16 May 2015. Lieutenant General Morrison’s speech is available at: http://army.gov.au/Our-work/Speeches-and-transcripts/Chief-of- Army-address-farewell

Chief of Joint Operations welcomes Australia’s strong partnership with NATO

The Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston, has recently welcomed the continuing strength of Australia’s partnership with the NATO, including through the ADF contribution to the NATO-led non-combat Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. During the NATO Chiefs of Defence meeting on 19 and 20 May, Vice Admiral Johnston represented the Chief of the Defence Force at a Military Committee meeting on the Resolute Support Mission. Australia remains one of the largest non-NATO contributors to the Resolute Support Mission, through a contribution of about 400 ADF personnel. This commitment continues to train, advise, and assist the Afghan security ministries and Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). Alongside Finland, Georgia, Jordan and Sweden, Australia was given the opportunity to become an ‘Enhanced Opportunities Partner’ by NATO in October 2014. This status reflects our longstanding contribution in Afghanistan and continued commitment to being a valued NATO partner.

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 3 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Airservices Australia and Defence strengthen collaboration on Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Airservices Australia and the RAAF have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the operation of the Heron remotely piloted Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in Australian civil airspace. Commander of Surveillance and Response Group Air Commodore Chris Westwood and Airservices Australia’s Executive General Manager Air Traffic Control Greg Hood signed the MoA at a ceremony in Canberra. “The purpose of the MoA is to set out procedures for Airservices Australia and Air Force to work within, and allows the Heron to be safely flown in civil airspace without any significant impact on civil air traffic,” Air Commodore Westwood said. The Heron is planned to fly in civilian airspace from Rockhampton Airport in late June, as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015. This will be the first time the aircraft has flown outside of restricted military airspace in Australia.

Institute News

An Executive Meeting and a Council Meeting were held on 15 June and covered a wide range of issues.

Representations In addition to attending and laying a wreath at the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Cenotaph, Martin Place, on 25 April the President represented the Institute at 2 other commemorative events and a civic event in April. Vice President Colonel John Hutcheson also represented the Institute at the Indigenous Ceremony at the Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, on 29 May and laid a wreath.

New Members A special welcome is extended to the following new members: Mr Nicholas Dettman; Captain David Christopher Michael; Mr Geoffrey Spencer Brown

Deceased Members It is with a deep sense of sadness that the passing of the following members is recorded:

Flying Officer Ross Pearson, OAM, RAAF (Ret’d), served in with the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command during World War II and participated in attacks on Germany’s industrial heartland, the Ruhr Valley. Much later, as President of the Bomber Command Association in 2008, he was instrumental in inaugurating what is now the annual Bomber Command Commemoration Day ceremony at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, on 1 June each year. The ceremony honours Australians who served with the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command during World War II. Ross was a keen military historian and very active member of the Institute right up until his death on 13 June 2015 aged 94 years and was a key presenter during the Institute’s ANMEF Centenary Seminar last September. The Institute extends its condolences to his family.

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 4 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Queen’s Birthday Honours Congratulations to the following two members and a close associate of the Institute:

Mr B. F. (Barry) Collins, a member of the Library Committee, was appointed a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for significant service to chemical engineering, through contributions to the mining, paper and steel industries, and to the community.

Warrant Officer Class One W. J. (Warren) Barnes, who represents the Defence Reserves Association, New South Wales Branch (a corporate member), was awarded a Medal in the General Division of the Order of Australia for service to veterans and their families.

Mr G. L. (Graham) Berry, President of the Masonic Club, was awarded a Medal in the General Division of the Order of Australia for service to the community through volunteer roles in service organisations.

Gallipoli August Offensives Centenary Battlefield Tour July/August 2015 To enable members who may wish to visit the relevant battlefields prior to the Centenary Commission of Inquiry to be held 29 September 2015 (see below under Upcoming Events) the Institute has identified the following tour which members could undertake. It will include representatives who are also members of the Institute and who will accompany our members.

Image Source: Military History Military History Tours (Australia) Pty Ltd, who conducted our Tours of Australia New Guinea battlefield tour in 2014, is advertising a “Lone Pine 100th Anniversary Tour 2015”, which will also take in other August offensive sites such as Chunuk Bair. It will be a 10-day fully-escorted battlefield tour from 3 to 12 August and will include the official centenary service at Lone Pine. It will be escorted by one of our members, Lieutenant Colonel John Howells RFD (Ret’d), our webmaster. John would be happy to adjust the itinerary to meet any special needs of our group. The cost for the ground component is $3,700.00 per person, twin share. Air fares from Sydney would be additional. For details see www.militaryhistorytours.com.au

Any members who wish to undertake the tour are asked to notify the Institute’s Office Manager on (02) 9393 2325 so that the RUSI attendance can be coordinated.

Upcoming RUSI NSW Events

Tuesday 30 June 2015 – Lunchtime lecture at 1.00pm at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts Theatre, Level 1, 280 Pitt Street – the speaker will be Rear Admiral Stuart Mayer, CSC and Bar, Commander Australian Fleet and the subject will be “The RAN in the 21st century”. The lunchtime lectures are open to anyone interested.

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 5 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Tuesday 28 July 2015 - Lunchtime lecture at 1.00pm at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts Theatre, Level 1, 280 Pitt Street – the speaker will be Mr Brian Toohey, Australian Financial Review Columnist and the subject is "An effective and affordable defence policy for a changing world”. The lunchtime lectures are open to anyone interested.

Image Source: Brian Toohey

Friday 21 August 2015 - 127th Anniversary Luncheon at 12 noon for 12.30 pm at Level 4 of the Castlereagh Hotel 169-171 Castlereagh Street. Cost $80.00 includes two courses and wine. Image source http://twelfthregiment.info/wp/?page_id=406

Tuesday 25 August 2015– Lunchtime lecture at 1.00pm at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts Theatre, Level 1, 280 Pitt Street – the speaker will be Mr James Brown, Director Alliance 21 Program University of Sydney and the subject is " China’s activities in the South China Sea". The lunchtime lectures are open to anyone interested.

Image Source: http://ussc.edu.au/people/james-brown

Tuesday 29 September 2015 – An all-day Gallipoli August Offensives Centenary Commission of Inquiry will be held at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts Theatre, Level 1, 280 Pitt Street – further details will be announced in due course.

Image Source: Australian War Memorial H10400

Tuesday 29 September 2015 Annual General Meeting at 5.15 – 6.00 pm (following the Commission of Inquiry) at the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street. Agenda, minutes, Council's report and financial statements will be available on the Institutes website or may be requested from the Institute's Office Nominations are hereby called for the following positions for the 2015-16 Council year: President; Vice-Presidents (2 positions); Secretary; Treasurer; Councillors (9 positions).

Tuesday 27 October 2015 Lunchtime lecture at 1.00pm at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts Theatre, Level 1, 280 Pitt Street – the speaker will be Mr Clive Williams, Terrorism Expert, Macquarie University and the subject will be "The evolving threat from Islamic State". The lunchtime lectures are open to anyone interested. Image source: Macquarie University

Monday 16 November 2015 Lunchtime lecture at 1.00pm at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts Theatre, Level 1, 280 Pitt Street – the speaker will be Mr Peter Hartcher, Journalist, and the subject will be "2015: The year in review". The lunchtime lectures are open to anyone interested. Image source: Wikimedia

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 6 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Upcoming Events by other Organisations

“On Ops” Lessons and challenges for the Australian Army since 1999 Conference Canberra 24-25 June 2015 The Australian Army is co-sponsoring a conference with UNSW on the learning of lessons from operations since 1999. The Hon John Howard will deliver the opening address. Attendance is free but attendees must register at http://www.acsacs.unsw.adfa.edu.au/news- and-events/on-ops.html

Sydney University Regiment Regimental Dinner 27 June 2015 The Sydney University Regiment’s 115th Regimental Dinner will be held on Saturday 27 June 2015 in the Refectory, Holme Building, Science Road, University of Sydney, at 1830 for 1900 hours. All former officers of the Regiment are invited to attend. Cost: $190, Dress: Mess Dress/Black Tie/After Five, RSVP: by 1 June 2015 to The Adjutant, Captain Samuel McKenzie E: [email protected]. For further details contact: Captain Samuel McKenzie T: (02) 8782 9771. Image source: diggerhistory.info

Western Front Association (WFA) Meeting 28 June 2015 A joint meeting of the WFA and the Fromelles Society will be held on 28 June 2015 from 12.30 to 4.00pm at the ANZAC Room, 99 York St, the NSW Bowling Club. The speaker will be Paul Cobb, a British Military historian and UK WFA member on the "The battle of Fromelles 1916". Paul is in Australia for research and holidays, and is the author of a book on the engagement (Fromelles 1916 published by Tempus in 2007) and will talk from both the British and Australian perspective. Institute members are invited to attend and can RSVP to [email protected]. A gold coin donation on the day would be invited to cover costs.

The Defence Reserves Association 2015 National Conference – 22 Aug 2015. This conference “ADF Total Force – Fact or Fiction?” will be held on Saturday 22 August 2015 at the Novotel Sydney Brighton Beach, Cnr Grand Parade and Princess Street, Brighton Le Sands NSW 2216. It is a tri-service all ranks Conference that will be opened by His Excellency, General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor of NSW and will be addressed by a panel of distinguished speakers including:

1. Government Defence speaker Image source: Defence Reserves 2. Opposition Defence speaker Association 3. Senior Officers of the Australian Defence Force 4. MAGJEN Crackett, Assistant Chief of Defence Staff, Reserve Forces and Cadets Division, UK Ministry of Defence 5. Leading commentators on Defence matters

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 7 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

The program has been structured to provide optimal opportunities to discuss crucial issues affecting the ADF Reserves. Friday night (21 August) is the opportunity to settle in and meet at an informal dinner in the Novotel. DRA Branch Delegates will meet separately after dinner to discuss AGM Agenda matters. The Conference will run throughout Saturday 22 August 2015, from 0830 to 1745 hours. On Saturday evening, a tri-service all ranks Formal Dinner will be held. MAGJEN Crackett, Assistant Chief of Defence Staff, Reserve Forces and Cadets Division, UK Ministry of Defence has agreed to speak at the Dinner. On Sunday (23 August), DRA Branch Delegates will meet for the DRA 2015 Annual General Meeting from 0930 to 1200 hours. As in previous years, the costs for the Conference Day sessions and the Formal Dinner have been kept to an absolute minimum of $140.00 per person all-inclusive. Cost of the Conference only is $75.00 per person and cost of the Formal Dinner only is $85.00 per person. The Novotel has offered a competitive rate for accommodation of $219.00 per night for a standard king room/twin room (shared). The Conference Administrative Instruction and Registration Form are available on the website: dra.org.au and at url: DRA 2015 Conference webpage. Additional information can be obtained from the Conference Secretary, WO1 Warren Barnes via: Email: [email protected] or mobile: 0409 909 439.

2 September 2015 – New South Wales Masonic Club Inaugural Battle for Australia Dinner The Dinner will be held in the Grand Dining Room at the Club. Invitations are open to all serving and former members, of all ranks, of the Australian Defence Force and her allies in past and present conflicts. Dress will be Mess Dress or Black Tie with miniatures. The format will be that of a traditional “Regimental Dinner”. Registration details will be available from the Club shortly.

Image source: NSW Masonic Club 6–8 October 2015 – The Pacific2015 International Maritime Conference This conference will be held at the Sydney Exhibition Centre at Glebe Island. The conference, organised by The Royal Institute of Naval Architects and The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology will allow delegates to be involved in discussions about the latest developments in marine engineering and maritime technology; both in the areas of defence and commercial shipping. The conference will coincide with the prestigious Royal Australian Navy Sea Power Conference, the Navy Week celebrations in Sydney and the PACIFIC2015 International Maritime Exposition which is organised by Maritime Australia Limited. Full details of registration costs and entitlements are available on the conference website: www.pacific2015.com.au/international-maritime- conference Image source: Maritime Conference

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 8 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Recent Past Events

Tuesday 27 May 2015 – The 3rd International Defence and Security Dialogue held in the Parliament House Theatrette from 1330 – 1800 hours was a most successful event. The Blamey Oration delivered by Mr Dennis Richardson, AO, Secretary of Defence was particularly interesting. Mr Richardson joined Lieutenant General Agus Widjojo (Retired), Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Indonesia; Professor Damien Kingsbury, Deakin University; and Professor Peter Leahy, AC, University of Canberra for the Expert Panel which addressed a wide range of issues related to the regional security challenges facing Australia and Indonesia. The full proceeding will be published in the Institute’s quarterly journal, United Service in September. Audio files of the four presentations are available on the Institute’s website at http://www.rusinsw.org.au/site/International_Dialogue_2015.asp

Image source: John Howells

General Defence News

Expert Advisory Panel on the Future Submarine Competitive Evaluation Process With France, Germany and Japan having confirmed their participation as potential international partners in the Australia’s future submarine programme, the Government announced on 5 June the establishment of the Expert Advisory Panel, which will oversee the competitive evaluation process. The Expert Advisory Panel will assure the Government that the competitive evaluation process remains sound, is conducted in accordance with probity and accountability principles, and that participants have been treated fairly and equitably. The members of the Expert Advisory Panel are:

1. Professor Donald Winter, who is a former Secretary of the United States Navy; 2. The Honourable Julie Anne Dodds Streeton, a former Justice of the Federal Court of Australia; 3. Mr Ron Finlay, one of Australia’s leading infrastructure specialists with very extensive legal experience; and 4. Mr Jim McDowell, who was a member of the First Principles Review team with very extensive Defence experience.

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 9 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Defence to sell Leeuwin Barracks in Fremantle and land in Tasmania. The Department of Defence announced on 4 June that is has decided to sell Leeuwin Barracks in Fremantle, Western Australia and the Pontville Small Arms Rifle Range Complex north of Hobart in Tasmania. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester MP, said Defence had no ongoing operational or strategic need for the Leeuwin Barracks site and had decided to sell the property. The site at Pontville is approximately 517 hectares in size and includes the Pontville Camp Site and the rifle range area. “Defence no longer needs the Pontville site for training or operations and as a result the site will be sold,” Mr Chester said.

Defence Operations

Australian Navy frigate visits Portsmouth, UK. The Royal Australian Navy’s helicopter frigate has arrived in Portsmouth, on 22 May England, as part of her NORTHERN TRIDENT 2015 deployment. Anzac departed Sydney in March 2015, and has transited the Southern Ocean, Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, Suez Canal, the Mediterranean Sea and most recently the North Atlantic en route to Portsmouth. During the five month deployment, the ship has represented Australia at Centenary of Anzac commemorative events in the Sea of Marmara, Cape Helles, Gallipoli and Italy and Malta.

New advanced Air Force capability demonstrated in Canberra. On 20 May, Senior ADF personnel in Canberra toured an Air Force C- 17A Globemaster fitted with a new advanced satellite communication and imagery display system for its crew and passengers. The newly-installed system was used to stream full motion video on large screens in the aircraft from a Heron remotely piloted Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operating 2000km away over Woomera Test Range in South Australia. The new system is an outcome of Plan Jericho, the plan to transform Air Force and the wider ADF into a fighting force that capitalises on the high technology systems that are being introduced over the next few years. Director of Plan Jericho, Group Captain Robert Chipman, said that the system was a good example of exploiting and connecting capabilities that Air Force, Army and Navy currently operate. The aircraft was in Canberra as part of the Air Force’s Jericho Dawn series of capability demonstrations.

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage | New10 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Successful boom contact for Air Force’s multi-role tanker transport. The first air refuelling boom contact has been made by a RAAF crew of the KC- 30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft. During a three-hour flight from RAAF Base Amberley on 13 May 2015, the crew deployed the 17-metre long Aerial Refuelling Boom System (ARBS) which is mounted beneath the tail of the fuselage.

Using fly-by-wire controls, the crew made 14 successful contacts between the ARBS and a refuelling receptacle of another KC-30A, although no fuel was transferred. Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Turnbull, Air Commander Australia, said air-to-air refuelling required both KC-30As to fly in close formation at more than 500 kilometres per hour, and an altitude of 7,000 metres. “We will shortly begin training flights with the KC-30A using its ARBS to refuel the E-7A Wedgetail.

“The KC-30A has already been cleared to refuel other aircraft in-flight with its hose-and- drogue refuelling pods, which are mounted beneath the wings. “The refuelling pods have been used to great effect in Operation OKRA by refuelling RAAF Hornets and Super Hornets over Iraq, as well as on Coalition strike aircraft.” The ARBS can offload fuel at 4500 litres per minute, and is also compatible with refuelling the C-17A Globemaster. In future, the ARBS will also refuel the F-35A Lightning and P-8A Poseidon. The RAAF operates five KC-30As, the first being introduced in mid-2011. Each KC-30A can carry more than 100 tonnes of fuel, allowing it to fly out to a range of 1800 kilometres from its home base, remain for four hours and offload 50 tonnes of fuel.

The E-7A Wedgetail Aircraft reaches Full Operational Capability At a ceremony at RAAF Fairbairn on 26 May, the Minister for Defence announced that the Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet of six E-7A Wedgetail Aircraft have achieved their final operational capability which gives Australia one of the most capable battle space management aircraft in the world. The aircraft reached the milestone this month with the entire capability, from physical aircraft to logistics, management, sustainment, facilities and training, now fully operational and The Minister for Defence, The Hon Kevin Andrews MP, able to support ongoing operations. These and the Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal aircraft have been operating in Iraq for the last Gavin 'Leo' Davies, AO, CSC few months. They’ve been deployed on Operation Okra in the Middle East and they’ve done over 100 surveillance sorties with Coalition partners flying over 1,200 hours and indeed on two of these sorties, these aircraft flew more than 16 hours which is a very significant achievement in itself. They’re operated by Number 2 Squadron, from the RAAF Base at Williamtown in New South Wales, with additional deployment facilities at the RAAF base Tindal in the Northern Territory.

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage | New11 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Defence Exercises

Indian Navy crosses oceans to visit Australia Two Indian Navy Ships (INS) Satpura and Kamorta which have been conducting training and security patrols while transiting the Indian Ocean arrived in Fremantle 4 June on a goodwill visit. The arrival of the two Indian Navy Ships coincides with a visit by the Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Commander Vice Admiral Satish Soni, PVSM, AVSM, NM, ADC, who is in Perth to hold discussions and make preparations ahead of the Royal Australian Navy’s first bilateral maritime exercise with India. The exercise will be held in September in the Eastern Fleet exercise areas off the east coast of India. Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, AO, CSC, RAN said the exercise was a significant step forward in the bilateral relationship and reflected the maturing defence relationships of both countries, lead by their respective navies.

International participation in Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2015 Australia and the United States are preparing for Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2015, the largest combined military exercise undertaken by the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The exercise, scheduled to take place early to mid July 2015, is the principal Australia and United States (US) bilateral training activity focussed on the planning and conduct of mid-intensity ‘high-end’ warfighting. Defence forces from New Zealand and Japan will join the exercise this year. Australia’s Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston, said the inclusion of the New Zealand and Japanese forces would enable the ADF to deepen its engagement with close defence partners in the region but did not change the bilateral nature of the exercise between Australia and the United States. “The primary aim of the exercise remains improving Australia-US readiness and the way we operate together through combined training,” VADM Johnston said.

Commander Australian Maritime Warfare Centre, Captain Guy Holthouse AO, RAN, welcomes Commanding Officer USS Antietam, Captain Michael McCartney (right)

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage | New12 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

International

Minister for Defence Concludes Inaugural visit to Japan. On 4 Jun the Minister for Defence concluded his first visit to Japan as Minister for Defence by saying: “Japan is an important regional and security partner for Australia. We share strategic interests, common capabilities and a shared alliance with the United States.”

“During my visit I had the opportunity to speak with Prime Minister Abe, Defence Image source: Official Website of the Prime Minister of Japan and Minister Nakatani and Economy, Trade His Cabinet http://japan.kantei.go.jp/97_abe/actions/201506/3article1.html and Industry Minister Miyazawa on a range of issues of strategic importance to both our countries. Minister Nakatani and I reviewed progress on expanding our defence cooperation ahead of the 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministers’ meeting to be held in Australia later this year. We discussed in detail the outcomes of the Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting, held with Minister Nakatani and our United States counterpart, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, during the course of the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Australia welcomes too the new Japan-United States Defence Cooperation Guidelines and the opportunities this will provide for Australia, Japan and the United States to work together on capacity building initiatives in the Indo-Pacific. Minister Nakatani and I also discussed Japan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its capacity to proactively contribute to regional and global peace and security.”

The Ursula Davidson Library

OPERATION BARCODE Call for volunteers - Call (02) 9393 2325 or email: [email protected]

Contact the library with details of your availability.

We are currently in Phase Three: Schedule regular volunteer visits to execute Operation Barcode over a number of months from March 2015.

Volunteers are running an audit of our book collection against our electronic catalogue and correcting errors and updating the catalogue. We are simultaneously adding call numbers, barcodes and accession numbers where they are missing. Volunteers work in pairs to help with accuracy and speed.

Progress: We have successfully audited and checked 15% of the book collection. There have been a number of people who have stepped forward recently and have provided their time as volunteers, this has been greatly appreciated. With continued effort and volunteers this will be another productive exercise.

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage | New13 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

Books for sale All books are duplicates, donation or discarded from our collection and are in good to fair condition. To arrange payment and delivery of the book, call the Librarian - Theodora Fox (02) 9393 2325

At Home in Australia - Peter Conrad - $20.00 Image source: Theodora Fox Australia 1942: In the shadow of war - Ed. P.J. Dean - $35.00 Australia and Colonial Question at the United Nations – W.J. Hudson - $20.00 Australia Goes to War - John Robertson - $20.00 Australia in Asia: Communities of Thought - Edited by Anthony Milner and Mary Quilty - $10.00 Australia under siege: Japanese submarine raiders 1942 - S.L. Carruthers - $10 Australians at War - TIME LIFE SERIES $5 each The Desert War 1940-1942 / For Queen and Commonwealth / Gallipoli - one long grave / War against Japan 1941-1942 B-24 Liberator 1939-45 – Martin Bowman – $15.00 Battle of the wine dark sea: The Aegean Campaign 1940-1945 - L. Lind - $10.00 Battles Lost & Won - Hanson W. Baldwin - $15.00 Children of the ANZACS – L.E. Pembroke - $10.00 Churchill and Australia. - G. Freudenberg - $28.00 Coming of the Strangers - Baiba Berzins - $26.00 Darwin spitfires: The Real battle for Australia - A. Cooper - $25.00 Darwin's air war: 1942-1945 an illustrated history - Aviation Historical Soc. of NT - $20.00 D-Day: The Battle for Normandy - A. Beevor - $25.00 Elements of Cartography - Arthur H. Robinson et al. - 25.00 Eleven bloody days: Battle for Milne Bay - B. Boettcher - $30.00 Famous Pilots and Their Planets – Francis K. Mason - $15.00 Fighting Words – Carl Harrison - Ford - $20.00 Great War - L. Carlyon - $30.00 Green Armour: Classic account of the war in New Guinea - O. White - $15.00 Hell's Battlefield : Australians in New Guinea in WWII - P. Bradley - $30.00 History of fighting ships - Richard Hough - $15.00 Japan at war: An oral history - H.T. Cook & T. F. Cook - $15.00 Logic of International Relations - Steven J. Rosen & Walter S. Jones - $20.00 Pacific Fury: How Australia & allies defeated the Japanese Scourge - P. Thompson - $30.00 Path of infinite sorrow: the Japanese on the Kokoda Track - C. Collie & H. Marutani. $20.00 RAAF Hudson story: Book One - D. Vincent - $50.00 South West Pacific 1941-45 - E.G. Keogh $30.00 Second world war - A. Beevor - $25.00 Secret battle 1942-1944: Convoy battle-east coast of Aust during WWII- R. Wallace - $20.00 Tocumwal to Tarakan: Australians & the consolidated B-24 Liberator- M.V. Nelmes - $50.00 U-Boat war - Lothar-Gunther Bucheim - $10.00 Under The Southern Cross - Bob Livingstone - $25.00 Vietnam Experience Series $5.00 each Setting the stage / Nation Divided / Nineteen sixty-eight / Raising the stakes / Fighting for time / Passing the torch / Combat photographer / America takes over. War in the Pacific: Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay – Bernard Nalty - $20.00 Whispering death: Australian airmen in the pacific war - M. Johnston - $20.00

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage | New14 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543

About the RUSI of NSW

Founded as the United Service Institution of New South Wales in 1888, the Royal United Services Institute of New South Wales today is one of seven self-governing constituent bodies of the Royal United Services Institute of Australia.

The aim of the Institute is to promote informed debate on, and to improve public awareness and understanding of, defence and national security. To this end, the Institute:

 contributes to the national debate on defence and security policy;  publishes a highly-respected professional journal;  arranges regular lectures and occasional seminars on military history, defence and security issues;  organises visits to defence and security establishments;  operates a public library, specialising in defence and security literature dating from the early 19th century to the current day; and  conducts social and networking functions for members.

The Institute’s rooms and the Ursula Davidson military history Library are on Level 20, Defence Plaza, 270 Pitt Street, Sydney – very close to Town Hall and Museum railway stations. Tea/coffee and biscuits are available without charge and members and visitors are encouraged to use the facilities for reading or research, or just as a base when visiting the city of Sydney. However, prior to visiting for the first time please contact the Office Manager to arrange access to the Office. For additional information please visit our website at www.rusinsw.org.au or call the Office at (02) 9393 2325.

Image source: John Hutcheson ______

RUSI NSW & Copyright

Unless otherwise attributed, all images in this newsletter are sourced from Department of Defence under their copyright rules.

This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice and imagery metadata) for your personal, non-commercial use.

Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage | New15 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543