HMAS ARDENT, (patrol boat), apprehended two Indonesian luggers poaching in Australian fishing waters north-west of Derby, WA. ...
Australian Naval History on 8 July 1980
The Minister for Defence, Mr. D. J. Killen, announced that the Government had approved a feasibility study of the building of submarines at Vickers Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 3 July 1980
The first WRANS midshipmen passed out of the Royal Australian Naval College. ...
Australian Naval History on 17 June 1980
The destroyer escort HMAS SWAN, (CMDR D. T. Read, RAN), rescued 72 Vietnamese refugees from a disabled vessel in the South China Sea. ...
Australian Naval History on 7 June 1980
The Minister for Defence, Mr. D. J. Killen, announced increased air and sea defence for Australia’s off-shore oilfields. ...
Australian Naval History on 5 June 1980
Evaluations of the US designed Mk 48 heavyweight torpedo, (for potential use in the Oberon class submarines), commenced at HMAS WATSON. ...
Australian Naval History on 30 May 1980
HMA Ships ATTACK, ADVANCE, and BUCCANEER, (patrol boats), commenced offshore oil rig patrols. The patrols were organized to prevent terrorist attacks on the oil rigs ...
Australian Naval History on 29 May 1980
Queen Elizabeth II, approved three new long service medals, (15 years service), for members of the Australian Defence Force. These were the Defence Force Service Medal, (DFSM), for all regular ...
Australian Naval History on 19 May 1980
The rank of Provisional Warrant Officer was abolished in the RAN. ...
Australian Naval History on 18 May 1980
China’s first Inter Continental Ballistic Missile landed in the Pacific Ocean north west of Fiji. The splashdown was observed by HMA Ships VAMPIRE, (destroyer), and JERVIS BAY, (training ship). A ...
Australian Naval History on 17 May 1980
USS DIXIE, (destroyer tender), the oldest US warship on continuous active service, arrived in Sydney on a goodwill visit. ...
Australian Naval History on 13 May 1980
HMA Ships VAMPIRE, (Daring class destroyer), and HMAS JERVIS BAY, (training ship), were dispatched to the area between the Solomon Islands and Fiji, to observe the test firing of China’s ...
Australian Naval History on 11 May 1980
The Australian Government announced plans for the construction of a $13 million patrol base at Darwin, NT. ...
Australian Naval History on 6 May 1980
The first female officers of the RAN to serve at sea, embarked in the training ship HMAS JERVIS BAY. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 April 1980
The Minister for Defence, Mr. D. J. Killen, announced the expenditure of $1,065 million for the building of four guided missile frigates and support equipment. ...
Australian Naval History on 25 March 1980
The Minister for Defence, Mr. D. J. Killen, announced Government plans to increase the RAN’s strength in ships, weapons and establishments. ...
Australian Naval History on 17 March 1980
The patrol boat HMAS FREMANTLE, (LEUT R. Thomas, RAN), the lead ship of the Fremantle class patrol boats was commissioned at Lowestoft, England. A publicity hoax claiming the discovery of ...
Australian Naval History on 13 March 1980
AB J. Stewart was lost overboard from HMAS BRISBANE, (guided missile destroyer), 120 miles north-west of Honolulu before midnight on 12/3/1980, and was picked up 12 hours later by USS ...
Australian Naval History on 1 March 1980
HMAS TOBRUK, (amphibious heavy lift ship), was launched at Newcastle, NSW. ...
Australian Naval History on 29 February 1980
HMAS DIAMANTINA, (oceanographic research ship), and the last World War II ship in commission in the RAN, was paid off for disposal at Garden Island, Sydney. She had steamed 615,755 ...
Australian Naval History on 19 February 1980
The Australian Prime Minister, Mr. M. Fraser, announced plans for increasing the size of the RAN. ...
Australian Naval History on 16 January 1980
The keel for HMAS SYDNEY, the third guided missile frigate ordered from the USA, was laid at Seattle, USA. ...
Australian Naval History on 8 January 1980
A contingent of nine RAN officers sailed in the Antarctic relief ship NANOK S for a 40-day deployment in Australia’s Antarctic bases of Casey and Mawson. ...
Australian Naval History on 18 December 1979
Iroquois helicopters from No. 723 Squadron, and 150 personnel from RAN ships and establishments fought disastrous bushfires in the Sydney metropolitan area. ...
Australian Naval History on 1 November 1979
The Australian 200 nautical mile fishing zone was proclaimed, greatly increasing the surveillance role of the RAN. ...