The first WRANS midshipmen passed out of the Royal Australian Naval College. ...
On This Day
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 ...