If there is anyone qualified to comment on the New Zealand Army’s health services it is surely Lieutenant Colonel Chris Mitchell, Chief Staff Officer Health.

Joint Project 3011, Joint Non-Lethal Capability, has a fairly significant provenance, including longstanding DSTO and service interest, a formal needs analysis, an RPDE study and finally inclusion in the 2009 Defence White Paper. But little seems to be happening…

The AEW&C is now providing the ADF with an insight into its ability to operate as an important part of the future networked battlespace.

The reported willingness of terrorists and rogue states to embrace Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear means of warfare have concerned the militaries of the world for some time and ongoing Australian deployments overseas has focussed local attention on defence against such threats.

The air defence target system to be acquired under JP66 aims to exercise this country’s current and future air defence weapons against a range of air threats. But if Klub-killers and similar are not on the menu for SEA 4000 then engagement only in low level hostilities should be the order of the day for the RAN.

The ADF has talked about ‘Jointness’ for years, but has sometimes struggled to convince others (and even itself) that it is truly a Joint force. Those days are gone: Jointness is now, officially, the ADF’s core business.

The essential context for amphibious warfare was described in Elizabethan times by Sir Francis Bacon: “He that commands the sea is at great liberty, and may take as much and as little of the war as he will.”

With the release of the RFT for Phase 2B of JP 2072, Defence is embarking on one of its most significant communications acquisition programs for a new Battlefield Telecommunications Network.

Defence has released an RFT for a new MOTS Special Operations Vehicle – Commando under JP 2097 Ph.1B.

Pratt & Whitney and Levett Engineering have signed an agreement that will see the Adelaide-based SME manufacture engine components for the F135 engine program.

Raytheon Australia has signed a $69 million contract with the DMO for the provision of Enhanced Position Location Reporting System and MicroLight radios and associated support under Phase 1 of JP2072.

Raytheon Australia has signed a significant subcontract in relation to Joint Project 2072 with local SME Eylex Pty Ltd, a defence communications and connectivity supplier representing a number of manufacturers.

Raytheon Australia signed a subcontract in relation to Joint Project 2072 with Eylex, an Australian defence communications and connectivity supplier.

Raytheon Australia has signed a $70 million contract with the DMO for the provision of EPLRS and MicroLight radios and associated support under Joint Project 2072.

The battle between the two contenders for the naval helicopter has almost reached its zenith. The ‘urgent operational requirement’ for roughly 24 naval helicopters will be decided early next year, if the current timeline holds true.

Australia is considering the purchase of more than 200 Mk 54 torpedoes and other equipment from the US for potential use on the Lockheed/Sikorsky MH-60R.