Army’s secret human radars
TO the casual observer, they could appear to be a raw, unconventional squad of soldiers on another training exercise about the Top End.
But this band of brothers (and sisters) is one of the Australian Army’s most unique and critical surveillance, reconnaissance and military intelligence gathering squads, on virtually year-round patrol providing Australia’s first-line defence.
Norforce, made up largely of Indigenous First Nations soldiers, are the military’s eyes and ears, so in tune with their surroundings they are more likely to detect a foreign incursion before any radar does.
The squad speaks dozens of dialects used by Australia’s remote Indigenous communities, which makes them an invaluable source of intelligence to detect incursions – whether that be “black flight” drug runs using remote airstrips, people smugglers on small boats or suspicious activity by a foreign or criminal entity moving about our northern coastline.
Created during WW II amid fears of a Japanese invasion, they have an area of operations measuring 1.8 million sq km, the largest for any military unit in the world.
“For whatever reason, it has been a well-kept secret but should be a well-told story,” Norforce commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Steve Medlin said of the group.
Army doesn’t like to use the word warrior. It could be misconstrued, but not here.
“It’s a very important word for Indigenous culture and they do see themselves as warriors, and while it is not as accepted in Defence we walk that line, that’s important for their culture and what that means for them is absolutely appropriate, that’s part of the language they use, they are protecting country and that’s what warriors do.”
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA WAS INVITED TO EXCLUSIVELY EMBED FOR THE DURATION OF ONE OF THEIR LONGRANGE PATROLS ON LAND AND SEA. READ THE FULL STORY FROM PAGE 50 IN WEEKEND EXTRA