Amphibious force aims to be all at sea
SOLDIERS DITCH LANDLUBBER TAG
MEMBERS from the 2nd Battalion will today receive their final approval to commence sea trials with the navy, paving the way to being certified as the nation’s amphibious taskforce by the end of the year.
By the time this year’s cyclone season approaches in November, 2RAR and navy personnel will form a joint short- notice taskforce that will provide an amphibious capability to not only assist Australia but neighbouring countries in times of crisis.
Over the past two weeks, the battalion’s Alpha and Bravo companies have been rotated between High Range and Rattle Snake Island to participate in certification exercise Sea Sabre, which will now allow them to move on to a series of sea exercises on HMAS Canberra, starting next month.
Commander 3rd Brigade, Brigadier Roger Noble, yesterday joined Commanding Officer 2RAR Lieutenant Colonel Michael Bassingthwaighte and coalition forces to observe and certify personnel participating in the final live- fire component of the exercise.
“( This exercise) is about getting them certified and ready to do anything they would do on the ground so that they can go in and form part of the amphibious force for the ADF,” Brig Noble said.
“What we’re really doing is taking all the tools that we’ve got and building that amphibious capability that we’ve always had but push it to a new level.
“We live on an island so it makes sense to have a capable amphibious force and we’re pretty proud that 2RAR is leading this.’’
Former Royal Marine, Amphibious Force Generation – Navy Captain Jim Hutton said 2RAR had come a long way since the Federal Government announced in 2013 that the battalion would lead Australia’s amphibious capability.
“Within the amphibious context, 2RAR are the lead battalion in what we call the landing force in the army,” he said. “The landing force is one element of the amphibious force, which comprises the ships, the helicopters, the logistics and the landing forces itself.
“( Soldiers) are learning to operate with the navy and air force and operating in an environment they are not used to.
“Army battalions usually stick to land but the amphibious capability works from the sea – so they will be based on the ship, train on the ship and prepare themselves for operations and conduct their operations from the ship using landing craft and small boats to assert themselves on land.”
Brig Noble said the first amphibious contingents would be ready by the end of the year with the help of both US and Royal Marines currently attached to 2RAR as part of the certification process.
“There always has been a strong connection with the US Marines and Royal Marines and this amphibious capability just makes that all the more important,” Brig Noble said.
“Getting the knowledge that they ( marines) have and sharing the experience is pretty vital.
“I would say we’ll see stronger links with these two organisations, in particular as we grow and master our own amphibious
capability in the near future.”