1. What is ECADEX?
The
East Coast Air Defence Exercise (ECADEX) is an Air Force
tactical level Defensive Counter Air activity and is
held once every two years.
ECADEX
focuses on providing training for Air Defence Officers
(Fighter Controllers) and Aircrew. The way this is done
is to create a realistic scenario by dividing the forces
into 'enemy' and 'friendly' teams. The aim for the 'enemy'
is to launch simulated attacks on targets, and escape
unharmed. For the 'friendly' team their job is to identify
the 'enemy' and to do everything they can to prevent
them from reaching the target areas.
At
the same time Air Defence Officers perfect their skills
in feeding information to fighter pilots from a picture
of the entire battle space, taken from ground-based
and airborne radars and sensors.
The
'enemy' forces will also face a threat from below in
the form of simulated Ground-Based Air Defence missiles
(Army) which will be deployed around some of the designated
targets in the exercise area. Ground-based missile batteries
from the Army's 16th Air Defence Regiment will act as
ECADEX 'friendly' ground based air defence.
2.
When is ECADEX?
ECADEX
05 will be held between the 26th of October and the
9th of November, with flying conducted at various times
throughout this period.
3.
What objectives do Exercise Participants have of the
Exercise?
ECADEX
gives various combined Airforce elements a chance to
practice a real time air defence scenario by simulating
a defensive posture against a 'pretend' adversary. Air
and ground assets are fused together, demonstrating
their capacity to operate effectively and support operations
against an incoming threat.
4.
Where is ECADEX happening?
Aircraft
participating in the exercise will be based at both
RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales,
and RAAF Base Amberley near Ipswich, Queensland. The
majority of exercise flying is planned to take place
over the ocean off the central east coast of New South
Wales.
Royal
Australian Air Force and Australian Army personnel will
be deployed into the exercise area along with various
Air Defence ground based radars, communications and
other supporting equipment to provide the 'big picture'
for air surveillance and fighter control.
Personnel
situated at RAAF Base Richmond will coordinate the nature
of tasking for the 'enemy' aircraft involved in ECADEX
by forming a Combined Air Operations Centre, responsible
for coordinating all of the 'enemy' elements involved
in the air war. An Air Component Commander has been
established at RAAF Base Williamtown, to have overall
responsibility for 'friendly' assets during the exercise.
5.
What times will the aircraft be flying?
ECADEX
flying is currently scheduled to occur between 11am
and 10pm from Monday to Friday, with no planned exercise
flying on Saturday and Sunday. However, there may be
routine military flying around these times, including
on Saturdays and Sundays, in support of other activities
but this will not be part of ECADEX.
(Slight
changes will occur in flying times in and out of RAAF
Base Amberley when daylight saving commences in NSW
on 30 October. Flights will be an hour earlier than
those at Williamtown).
6.
What ADF assets are taking part in the exercise?
The
following assets of the Royal Australian Air Force and
Australian Army will be used as part of ECADEX.
| Asset |
Role |
|
| F-111 |
Strike/Reconnaissance
aircraft |
| F/A-18
Hornet |
Fighter
(counter air) /Strike/Offensive Air Support aircraft |
| B-707T |
Air-refuelling
aircraft |
| Hawk
127 |
Fighter
(counter air) / Offensive Air Support aircraft |
| 114MCRU |
Mobile
Control and Reporting Unit (including a TPS-77Radar) |
| 3CRU |
TPS-77
Radar, Communications Cabin and Electronic Observation
Post |
| Rapier
and RBS70 |
Ground
Based Air Defence system (SAM) |
| Lear
Jet |
Target
towing aircraft |
7.
What environmental responsibilities does Defence have
with this exercise?
Minimising
impact on the environment is a responsibility that Defence
takes seriously and is a vital part of planning for,
and conducting of, ECADEX.
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