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Minister for Defence, Senator David Johnston has praised the Indonesian Government for hosting a “very successful” international defence summit in Jakarta. Senator Johnston made the comments at the end of two days of what he described as “very productive” talks and discussions with senior Indonesian officials and foreign defence heads during the Jakarta International Defence Dialogue (JIDD) which ended today.

Minister for Defence, Senator David Johnston, today announced Final Operational Capability (FOC) had been achieved for Project AIR 5418, the AGM-158A Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-Off Missile (JASSM). “The Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-Off Missile is now fully in service and is an extremely capable, long range missile that meets the future requirements of Air Force,” Senator Johnston said. “Successful JASSM integration forms a key piece of the strike capability and ensures that Air Force can meet future operational demands.”

The Jindalee Operational Radar Network, provided by Joint Project 2025 Phase Five, has achieved Final Operational Capability (FOC) Defence Minister David Johnston said today. Senator Johnston said the successful delivery of JP 2025 Phase Five has improved JORN’s over-the-horizon-radar performance and its integration with the wider Defence command and control and intelligence networks. “The Jindalee Operational Radar Network contributes to Australia’s security environment by providing wide area surveillance of Australia’s northern approaches, Senator Johnston said.

Defence Minister Senator David Johnston today announced a multi-million dollar contract extension for the maintenance of the Classic Hornet F404 engine. The contract, valued at approximately $230 million was awarded to General Electric International Incorporated. Senator Johnston said the extension followed an announcement by the Chief of Air Force to extend the Classic Hornet’s life out to 2022.

India’s Minister of Defence, Manohar Parrikar, hosted the Australian Minister for Defence, Kevin Andrews, in New Delhi on 2 September 2015 to discuss issues of shared strategic interest and the current state of the bilateral defence relationship.

MINISTER FOR DEFENCE Senator the Hon Marise Payne  MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS The Hon Julie Bishop MP  

MINISTER FOR DEFENCESenator the Hon Marise Payne MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRSThe Hon Julie Bishop MP JOINT COMMUNIQUETHIRD AUSTRALIA-INDONESIAFOREIGN AND DEFENCE MINISTERS 2+2 DIALOGUE The Australian and Indonesian Foreign and Defence Ministers held the third 2+2 Dialogue on 21 December 2015 in Sydney, Australia. They had a wide ranging discussion on bilateral, regional and global issues of common concern. Bilateral relations

SENATOR THE HON. MATHIAS CORMANN Minister for Finance  SENATOR THE HON. MARISE PAYNE Minister for Defence The Government is putting in place long term arrangements to ensure the future success of the Air Warfare Destroyer project and address the legacy of unresolved issues inherited from the previous Labor government.

The Hon. Greg Hunt MP Minister for the Environment Senator the Hon. Marise Payne Minister for Defence   The Australian Antarctic Division and Royal Australian Air Force have completed a series of five proof of concept flights to Wilkins Aerodrome in East Antarctica, with the final flight returning to Hobart early this morning.

TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER THE HON. TONY ABBOTT MP JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE HON. KEVIN ANDREWS MP, MINISTER FOR DEFENCE, THE HON. IAN MACFARLANE MP, MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE, THE HON. CHRISTOPHER PYNE MP, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND VICE ADMIRAL TIM BARRETT AO, CHIEF OF NAVY ADELAIDE  

JOHNSTON: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here this afternoon. This afternoon, US Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, and I have conducted some bilateral discussions and we've had a round table discussion with some strategic commentators in Australia. Can I say, this is the fourth time we've met, I'm very pleased that Secretary Hagel is here in Australia, I'm delighted to welcome him, I'm hoping he's having a good time and we have got AUSMIN tomorrow with our counterparts, Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Bishop.

1. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, and Australian Minister for Defence Kevin Andrews held trilateral defense ministerial talks in Singapore on May 30, 2015, on the margins of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue. This was the fifth meeting of its kind among the three nations’ top defense officials.

Defence Minister Kevin Andrews today congratulated both BAE Systems Australia and TAE on securing regional maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade responsibilities for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter airframe and engine. Mr Andrews said BAE Systems Australia was one of Australia’s leading Defence firms and had been a long standing provider of sustainment services to a range of military aircraft. Based out of RAAF Base Amberley, TAE is a leading aerospace engine maintenance service provider, supporting both military and commercial aircraft in the Asia Pacific region.

A full-scale model of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter unveiled today will be used by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) to study the effects of electromagnetic compatibility and interference on the aircraft. Minister for Defence Senator David Johnston said the Australian-built model, known as Iron Bird, would be tested under simulated electromagnetic conditions during the acquisition and through-life sustainment of the JSF.

Thanks very much to Kokoda for the invitation. US Ambassador John Berry, lovely to see you as always; Japanese Ambassador Akimoto San; Commander of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Harry Harris; delighted to meet you tonight and see you here in Canberra; David Irvine, the Director General of ASIO; VCDF Air Marshall Mark Binskin; Chief of Air Force Air Marshall Geoff Brown; distinguished and honoured guests all. We are observing a substantially changing Asia-Pacific region. By 2050, half of the world’s top 20 economies will be in the Asia-Pacific region.

The future submarine program is a significant national investment in a vital defence capability and it is important that we get it right. The Government is committed to delivering the most capable replacement submarines, at the best price with the least risk to our nation’s future security. Unlike Labor, that is what we will do. The Government will take exactly the same approach to acquiring replacement submarines as all previous governments – including Labor – have followed for all major defence projects since 2003.

Topics: Combat rations, Tasmanian agriculture and jobs, HMAS Tobruk JOURNALIST: Online now, and this is a little bit of breaking news for you, you’re not going to officially hear about this until this afternoon; the Minister for Defence, Senator the Honourable Marise Payne is in State today and about to make a very significant announcement of funding for both Scottsdale and Launceston in the Defence area. I’m very pleased to have her on the line now. Minister, good morning, how are you? MINISTER PAYNE: I’m great thanks Brian. Always great in Tasmania. How are you?

The Minister for Defence, the Hon. Kevin Andrews MP, today announced the Australian Government has given First Pass approval for project LAND 400 Phase 2 – Mounted Combat Reconnaissance Capability. The Request for Tender has been released for the multi-billion dollar project to replace the Australian Defence Force’s Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV). Mr Andrews, together with the Minister for Industry and Science, The Hon. Ian Macfarlane MP, urged Australian industry to take advantage of opportunities arising from project Land 400 Phase 2.

Australia’s second and final Landing Helicopter Dock Ship arrived in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, today, completing its voyage from Ferrol, Spain. Minister for Defence David Johnston said the second LHD (to be known as HMAS Adelaide once commissioned) was transported from Spain to Australia by a Heavy Lift Ship, Blue Marlin. Blue Marlin has taken eight weeks to travel the 10,000 nautical miles to Melbourne where it will undergo final fitting out.

Techport Australia, Veitch road, Osborne  **CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY** Thank you for being here on this very important day. Today is a significant milestone for the Air Warfare Destroyer Project, marking a big step forward towards the delivery of three highly capable warships to the Royal Australian Navy. The launch of Hobart clears the way for progress on all three destroyers. The AWD Alliance can now focus on ship completion and system commissioning for Hobart, which will be followed by sea trials next year.

Topics: Launch of naval air warfare destroyer, NUSHIP Hobart; Australian submarines. MINISTER ANDREWS

Launch of the 2016 Defence White Paper, Australian Defence Force Academy, ACT Thursday, 25 February 2016 Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Let me begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet this morning and paying my respects to their elders, past, and present. I also want to welcome all of our guests here today and acknowledge my friend and colleague the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and thank him for his very, very fine remarks this morning. Thank you Prime Minister.

Launch of the 2016 Defence White Paper, Australian Defence Force Academy, (ADFA), ACT Thursday, 25 February 2016 Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Let me begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet this morning and paying my respects to their elders, past and present. I also want to welcome all of our guests here today and acknowledge my friend and colleague the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and thank him for his very, very fine remarks this morning. Thank you, Prime Minister.

In an important milestone for the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) program, the first of three destroyers, Hobart, was launched alongside the Port River wharf in Adelaide today. This is a key achievement for the program and a big step towards the delivery of three highly capable warships to the Royal Australian Navy. I am pleased to see the progress since my visit to Techport Australia earlier this year, when I saw Hobart fully consolidated with substantial combat and platform systems installed.

The Australian Government welcomes the creation of 116 local jobs following the signing of a multi-million dollar defence contract with BAE Systems Australia. The scope of BAE Systems Australia’s current in-service support contract for the Hawk Lead-In Fighter has been increased to include operational maintenance. Valued at approximately $126 million, this represents great news for Australia’s air defence capability and Australian defence industry.

More than 20,000 Australian Defence Force personnel are set to be issued with new and improved personal protective equipment, with the announcement today of a $170 million upgrade to the soldier’s kit. Announcing the roll-out at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Defence Minister David Johnston said the multi-million dollar roll-out would significantly enhance the capability of ADF personnel deployed on military operations.

Today Mr Shorten and his faithful followers were outside the Australian Submarine Corporation being their usual negative selves.  While they were doing that, everyone else actually involved in the acquisition process for Australia’s future submarine was getting on with their job, protecting and defending Australia and its national interests. 

Today I met with Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Vice Minister for National Defence of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Senior Lieutenant General Vinh also attended the Australia-Vietnam Joint Ministerial Meeting, co-chaired by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who is visiting Australia along with a number of senior Vietnamese ministers.

I am pleased to announce the establishment and confirm the membership of an Oversight Board to monitor the progress of implementation of the First Principles Review recommendations. The First Principles Review was released on 1 April 2015. The Government has agreed – or agreed in-principle – to 75 of the 76 recommendations. Recommendation 6.3 of the First Principles Review called for the creation of an Oversight Board and the Board membership has now been finalised.

Minister for Defence, Kevin Andrews, today visited the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) and Collins Class Submarine sites in Adelaide. Mr Andrews, accompanied on the visit by the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett AO CSC RAN, met with senior Defence officials and key shipbuilding industry leaders to receive briefings on the projects. The Minister was given a tour of the shipyard facilities at Osborne to see first-hand the progress of the Air Warfare Destroyers.