Australian Defence Force Grows

Have you visited us yet? Fridays from 5 pm at Tanunda Recreation Park. Visitors are welcome. 

ADF grows to largest size in 25 years

The Australian Defence Force has reached its largest strength in 25 years, with more than 8100 new recruits joining in the 2025–26 financial year. Recruitment increased across Navy, Army, and Air Force, while the separation rate fell to its lowest level in 15 years.

Typical Graduation Parade

Since 2022, the government has invested over $1 billion to rebuild Defence recruitment and retention, improving processing times, widening eligibility, and strengthening conditions of service.

As at 1 July 2026, the ADF’s full‑time workforce exceeds 64,000 personnel, including permanent members, Gap Year participants and full‑time Reservists . Public interest remains strong, with almost 74,000 applications received this year.

The ADF is on track to meet the government’s target of 69,000 permanent personnel by the early 2030s, as outlined in the 2026 National Defence Strategy.

Compare this with the 300,000 troops the Israeli Defence Force was able to field shortly after 7 October 2023 and I wonder whether we should be talking about bringing in compulsory National Service of say one year for all youths leaving high school. It would be unpopular, but it would be an excellent way to find out how many residents would support Australia in time of war.

ADF is a Sound Employment Opportunity

Given the cost of attending university, rent, or the need to live with one's parents, a stint in the ADF is a sound opportunity for young people finding it difficult to survive in today's crazy Australia.

Apart from socialising with people one's own age, getting free accommodation, food, dental and medical care, uniforms, sports, and a salary, there is also the opportunity to travel at the ADF's expense.

Military service provides personal and technical skills that stand one in good stead forever. Also, it gives veterans a sense of having contributed to our Commonwealth, a very worthy endeavour.

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Have you visited us yet? Fridays from 5 pm at Tanunda Recreational Park. Visitors are welcome. 

The Interesting and Varied Role of the HMAS Canberra

Have you visited us yet? Fridays from 5 pm at Tanunda Recreational Park. Visitors are welcome. 

HMAS Canberra is the Royal Australian Navy’s flagship and one of its two Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) amphibious assault ships. 

HMAS Canberra

Its core role is to project Australian military power, deliver humanitarian assistance, and conduct joint amphibious operations with the Army and international partners. Over the past two years, it has been heavily involved in interoperability training, amphibious capability development, and medical readiness exercises.

The ship:

1. acts as Australia’s primary amphibious assault ship, capable of deploying troops, vehicles, helicopters, and landing craft.
2. Serves as a joint-force integration platform, hosting U.S. Marines and Australian Army units for combined amphibious operations.
3. Provides sealift capability for heavy Army equipment, including modern armoured vehicles
4. Functions as a medical support hub with scalable medical facilities for casualty care during operations, and
5. Enhances regional stability and deterrence through alliance training with the United States. 

This year has been a busy year for the crew who have, in Exercise Capital Reach:

1. Embarked 350+ Marines from the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin.
2. Conducted joint amphibious manoeuvre planning, landing craft drills, and multi‑domain integration.
3. Strengthened U.S.–Australia alliance readiness and Indo‑Pacific deterrence.

Assisted in the Army Modernisation Trials by: 

1. Validating sea transport of new Australian Army armoured vehicles: AS21 Redback IFV, AS9 Huntsman SPH, and the AS10 Resupply vehicle
   
2. Repeated loading/unloading trials in Sydney Harbour to confirm compatibility with Navy landing craft and littoral deployment.

The Canberra's Medical Operational Health Unit has also conducted training in a range of complex medical readiness exercises.

Our ADF has numerous interesting activities occurring that we never hear about in the mainstream media.