US soldiers prepare to embark on another mission - destination unknown. More than 27,000 personnel participated in the multi-national Exercise Tandem Thrust with most of the action centred on Shoalwater Bay

IF YOU were to fly high over the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in central Queensland during Exercise Tandem Thrust, the one thing that would stand out amongst the military hardware and troops would be the dust.

The month long exercise, involving more than 27,000 personnel, tested the combined land, sea and air forces from Australia, the United States and Canada.

Despite the dust during land-based manoeuvres the exercise has proved highly beneficial in the training of ADF personnel.

According to Australia's Maj-Gen Jim Molan, Commander DJFHQ, Tandem Thrust has given his personnel the opportunity to focus their skills on high-end war fighting in a wide range of complex scenarios.

Major General Molan said for their part the Australian forces were extraordinarily flexible.

ADF personnel continue to take part humanitarian operations in East Timor with the United Nations, have recently completed successful humanitarian operations in PNG and Irian Jaya and have taken part in successful evacuation operations overseas.

It is important the ADF also practices and maintains its high-end war fighting capabilities.

Units from throughout the ADF have been involved in Tandem Thrust, including the Townsville-based 3 Bde that deployed into the Shoalwater Bay Training Area by air and sea.

More than 3000 personnel from 3 Bde have worked closely with overseas forces including the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the US Army's 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment from Alaska to form the Blue Force.

The brigade's 2 Bn was moved into the area by Australian and US amphibious ships and, along with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, made a night assault with armoured equipment onto Freshwater Beach in the training area while paratroopers from 3 Bn and the US 501 Airborne Battalion secured the airfields through a night parachute drop.

Despite constant air attacks by Hornets from the Royal Australian and United States air forces and other aircraft, control of the airfield allowed other 3 Bde and Blue Force elements to move into the area by air.

A variety of helicopters including Black Hawks from the 5 Avn Regt were used to transfer 3 Bde and US troops and equipment around the training area.

Providing the bulk of the opposing forces were the Darwin-based 1 Bde and US Marine Corps. Armoured vehicles, field artillery and mounted infantry scenarios were practiced throughout the exercise.

Exercise Tandem Thrust concluded at the end of May with a live-fire involving naval, ground and air heavy weapons firing live ammunition onto selected targets within the exercise area.

Maj-Gen Molan said the live-firing phase of Tandem Thrust was an important culmination of the combined field-training phase.

"It is our ability to move combined offensive fire from one target to the other that proves whether we can do it for real or not, whether we can do it fast and whether we can do it correctly," he said.

The 108 Fd Bty of the 4 Fd Regt was one of the 3 Bde elements that participated in this final phase of Tandem Thrust. From there it was homeward bound to Townsville, leaving the dust in the Shoalwater Bay Training area to settle.

By Maj Rob Barnes