Introduction

Joint Combined Training Capability

Thank you for your interest in the Joint Combined Training Capability (JCTC). The following information is provided to assist the community to gain a better understanding of:

  • what is the Joint Combined Training Capability;
  • why it will provide better training outcomes for the Australian Defence Force (ADF);
  • which Australian Defence Force training facilities will be utilised;
  • what infrastructure needs to be built;
  • how it will be used, and;
  • what effect it could it have on neighbouring communities.

First of all, what does the name Joint Combined Training Capability actually mean? Joint means the Navy, Army and Air Force. Combined refers to the forces of two or more countries. Training denotes the Operations and Exercises undertaken and, Capability is the infrastructure that enables the enhanced training to take place.

The main benefit of the Joint Combined Training Capability is that it will enable a substantial improvement in the ability of Australian and United States Forces to operate together in a larger range of different situations that may arise in the future.

The skills required for joint and combined military operations are developed and enhanced through training exercises. The Joint Combined Training Capability will establish a network of state-of the art facilities to maximise the benefit of this training. Combined training with United States Forces improves Australian - United States interoperability. Also, as the United States is the world's most technologically advanced armed forces, exercising with them provides many benefits to the Australian Defence Force that cannot be obtained in any other way.

It is very important for the United States and Australia to work together more effectively to meet new threats to our security, including those from international terrorism. This cooperative training arrangement does not mean the United States is looking to establish a permanent base in Australia for its troops. What Australia and the United States are seeking are increased opportunities for cooperation in the area of joint combined training.

The development of the Joint Combined Training Capability may ultimately involve the enhancement of a number of Australia's ranges, including Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SBTA) in Queensland, the Bradshaw Training Area and the Delamere Range Facility in the Northern Territory. In time, all these ranges may be interlinked through instrumentation and simulation, enabling Australian and United States forces to train together to the highest possible standard.


The first priority for the Joint Combined Training Capability project is the enhancement of Shoalwater Bay Training Area for our major bilateral training exercise with the United States, Talisman Sabre, in 2007. The enhancements include improved range facilities; advanced integration of maritime, land and air training systems; increased linking of simulation with live training; and an enhanced ability to track and record exercise activity in order to provide high quality feedback.

The main aspect of this enhancement at Shoalwater Bay Training Area has been the creation of an Urban Operations Training Facility and the erection of an Exercise Control Building. The Urban Operations Training Facility is a small town precinct and is planned to be located in an environmentally and culturally benign section of the training area. The Urban Operations Training Facility is made up of over 350 modified shipping containers to be representational of a complex, non-culturally specific urban environment.

The Exercise Control Building will provide work facilities for more than 50 personnel involved in the commanding, umpiring and overseeing the safety and environmental aspects of exercises. Another $11 Million is being invested in sophisticated communications equipment to network existing air and maritime platform simulators with land force training systems and operational command systems. This network will enable geographically separated forces to experience realistic joint training scenarios. For example, a F/A-18 Hornet simulator in Williamtown, NSW, could provide simulated air support in real time to land forces exercising in Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

Defence considers the environmental impacts of its activities in accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The new facilities and infrastructure upgrades developed for the Joint Combined Training Capability have been assessed as required by this legislation.

None of the facilities are visible from adjoining properties, roads or sea outside of the SWBTA.

These enhancements to SWBTA have required an investment of around $9 Million with the works providing many opportunities for the scores of businesses in the Central Queensland region. This investment was in addition to the $52.8 Million per annum that Defence injects in to the local Central Queensland economy as announced by the Central Queensland University in a 2004 report.

The Joint Combined Training Capability will better enable the development and refinement of tactics and military concepts. Even so, Shoalwater Bay Training Area is not a test range for weapons under development and/or testing. Only weapons that have been approved for normal in-service use with the Australian Defence Force will be used during training at Joint Combined Training Capability facilities. As depleted uranium (DU) ordnance is not an Australian Defence Force approved weapon it will not be used during training exercises.

Strict training regulation controls the use of the in-service weapons used in training exercises. These regulations require rigorous and detailed planning, risk assessment and management and, adherence to strict environmental legislation.

Shoalwater Bay Training Area will continue to be an important resource to the Australian Defence Force for the training of our sailors, soldiers and airmen and women. Working to maintain good relations with our neighbours and the regional community in Central Queensland is very important to Defence.

At this time it is difficult to predict exactly how the use of Shoalwater Bay Training Area and other training areas may change as part of the Joint Combined Training Capability. It could be that the simulation aspects require fewer troops to be involved in exercises to achieve the same outcome. On the other hand, the benefits provided by the Joint Combined Training Capability may mean that the resource is used more regularly. Two things are certain, all exercises will continue to be conducted under strict environmental conditions and that, as proven in the 2004 Central Queensland University report, the local economy will continue to benefit substantially.