Defence analysis
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Ross Eastgate is a military historian, writer and journalist specialising in defence. A graduate of Duntroon and the Army Command and Staff College, he has served in the Middle East, PNG and East Timor.
FOR the next fortnight, starting today, Australian, US and Japanese naval vessels and aircraft will participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre off the Queensland coast.
Also exercising will be military personnel from New Zealand, Britain and Canada, plus other invited observers.
Given it is a real time and space exercise, other Australian sea, land and air bases, including those in Townsville, will also be involved.
The distances involved are in stark contrast with much earlier conflicts when soldiers travelled mostly on foot, and aircraft had limited range and endurance.
June 28 marked the anniversary of what was then a remarkable achievement by the Australian Flying Corps’ highest scoring ace, Captain Arthur Henry Cobby DSO DFC and Bar.
On June 28, 1918, Cobby downed three German planes, bringing his total to 29 German aircraft and 19 observation balloons, all achieved flying Sopwith Camel biplanes.
Cobby later led the AFC Anzac fly-past in London in 1919 when legend has it he realised as he flew down The Strand if he flew any lower he would hit the marching troops’ bayonets, if he flew any higher he would hit the electric ca
bles above. One wonders whether those observing the parade realised his predicament.
Observing has always been a crucial part of military operations.
Apart from the official observers at Talisman Sabre, defence officials have been monitoring the movement of a Chinese People’s Liberation Army navy vessel, a Type 815G Dongdiao surveillance ship.
These uninvited observers will no doubt monitor the tactics and electronic transmissions of participating forces from a suitable, discreet distance, safe from harm, unlike the unfortunate German observers whose balloons fell victim to Cobby’s relentless aerial gunnery.
Such electronic surveillance is not new in Australia’s strategic waters.
During the Cold War, Soviet “trawlers” regularly operated off Australia’s coasts, routinely monitoring, it was suspected, military communications and movements.
Not that the Chinese will go unobserved themselves.
In its aircraft mix the USN aircraft carrier Ronald R Reagan has aircraft which have electronic warfare capabilities, including surveillance.
The RAAF Boeing 7E Wedgetail aircraft are specifically designed for an electronic warfare role. These aircraft are also in service with the Royal Air Force and the Republic of Korea air force.
The latter has an even more immediate interest in Chinese surveillance capabilities, particularly given tensions in the northwest Pacific region.
China’s presence during Talisman Sabre may actually be an advantage, given planners and participants will be able to exercise in real time electronic warfare counter-measures.
While some other activities merely simulate operational capabilities, both passive and active electronic warfare operations are conducted as they would be in an actual conflict.
It is also a reminder that electronic warfare is a constant battle, in peace and war, to gather information about others’ capabilities and being prepared to strike when necessary to disrupt or disable communications.
While Cobby’s generation’s greatest threat was physical observation, today’s reliance on digital communications means every device which receives, stores and transmits information is under constant threat of both interception and intervention.