An Army Working Diver prepares to destroy a bridge pylon as part of his Underwater Demolitions Course.

THE Royal Australian Engineers recently reraised a vital capability for the support of manoeuvre operations - the employment of underwater demolitions.

As part of 1 Bde's Exercise Predator's Gallop, 1CER together with the Army Dive Wing from HMAS Penguin, conducted the Underwater Demolitions Course for current RAE Army Working Divers - about 11 years since the last course.

The training ran over three phases - the theory instruction for underwater demolitions supervisors, then for the divers and finally the confirmatory live-fire phase held on Triangular Island in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

The supervisors and divers learned how best and safely to employ the current ADF service explosives, including the use of naval charges.

Skills gained included a thorough knowledge of the effects of underwater detonations and blast, tactical methods of deployment both marine and freshwater environments and appropriate techniques for handling explosives.

Lt Patterson, 21 Const Sqn, was presented with the Student of Merit Award for his performance throughout the course.

Demolitions-qualified army working divers are capable of supporting the clearance of submerged obstacles and the destruction of targets.

Other potential tasks include the opening of navigation channels through mud, sand, rock or coral and the removal of large-scale water obstacles like sunken vessels or boom nets.

Sgt Geoff Rowland, Army Dive Wing, said there was a distinct difference in the environment for the operation of Army underwater demolitions tasks.

"Unlike Navy tasks, typical Army underwater demolition tasks will occur in river or estuarine environments where the effect of current and floating debris is a major concern when planning and conducting such a task," he said.

With the completion of this course the RAE has reraised a core of dive supervisors and divers based around 1 and 3CER's Dive Teams that can support future demolitions tasks and training.

The course qualified additional instructors who will continue to instruct all future divers on underwater demolitions as part of the Army Working Diver Course, ensuring that the capability is maintained within the RAE.

By Capt Alex Thomson