TACTICAL TEAMS TAKE TO THE AIR
ARMY aviators are ready to respond to national security threats and natural disasters at short notice, thanks to tactical assault training happening in Townsville.
Troops and aircraft have descended on the region with Chinooks, Taipans and Tigers taking to the air for day and night operations, as part of Exercise Vigilant Scimitar.
5th Aviation Regiment Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Martin said incorporating the Tigers, which are based in Darwin, was crucial to combat performance.
“We don’t fight in combat as a single aircraft type, we fight together, so it’s about training the way we fight,” he said.
“We’re conducting air assault missions, attack missions and recovery missions. The key ... is the opportunity to plan, and to integrate together.”
More than 600 personnel and about 20 helicopters are taking part in the major exercise until the end of next week.
As a result of the major exercise, Colonel Martin said, the army’s aviation capabilities were ready to respond to any security threats or natural disasters at short notice.
“We’ve got two task units ready to deploy,” he said. “A Chinook task unit and a Taipan task unit, similar to what we did for bushfire assist at the start of the year.
“They’re ready to go on fairly short readiness for either domestic disaster response or regional response options if the government decides to send us.”
Chinook pilot Captain Byron Clarke said flying in formation with other aircraft types provided an added layer of complexity to navigation and better prepared aircrews for the reality of combat.
“It is a lot more tactical when we’ve got all of the aircraft types together,” he said.
“We can essentially see how the other aircraft types work in person and it’s a lot more realistic training for us. Obviously, the tactical side of the mission is paramount but, at the same time, we want to make sure that we’re doing it safely.”