Virgin Blue is to enter the Melbourne–Darwin market with non-stop flights beginning on 28 April. The airline will also introduce direct flights between Darwin and Perth on the same date.
The Melbourne–Darwin service will depart from the Victorian capital late in the evening six times a week, arriving at Darwin in the early morning. The return flight will depart Darwin at 18:15 and arrive in Melbourne at 22:55.
The new Melbourne–Darwin services will carry overnight freight loads under an extension of Virgin Blue’s freight agreement with close partner Toll Priority, enabling the airline to offer affordable fares between the two cities. Flights will operate daily with Boeing 737-800s, leaving Darwin at 07:00 and arriving in Perth at 09:20 before turning around and landing back in Darwin at 16:25 the same day.
The DoD has changed its structures and is been increasing efforts to facilitate access to loans by companies interested in working with artificial intelligence, advanced materials and semiconductors, biotechnology and quantum science.
India has approved millions of dollars in new military purchases, most of which will go to public sector companies.
The main obstacles to overcoming risks in the region are a lack of a strong cybersecurity culture and inadequate funds to invest in this domain given a widespread Chinese presence in the region.
MBDA is adapting to supply chain pressures as the Russian invasion of Ukraine leads to increased demand for armaments.
Despite the additional funding promised this week, the UK armed forces still look set to face cutbacks, and maintaining international commitments to AUKUS and GCAP may limit the options for other programmes.
This week on the Shephard Defence Podcast, senior naval reporter Harry Lye and military training & simulation reporter Norbert Neumann chat with Professor John Louth.
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