By Maj John Liston
A TRI-Service parade held at Simpson Barracks in Melbourne recently marked the formation of the Defence Force School of Signals, making it the centre of military communications training in Australia.

The RAN’s Communications and Information Systems School, the Army’s School of Signals and the RAAF’s Communications and Information Systems Controller Training Section combined to form the new training establishment.

The amalgamation brings together communication and information systems training from the three services to create common training development and management synergies across a number of trade structures.

The new school’s Commandant Lt-Col Chris Robinson said the value of communications, information systems and electronic warfare in military operations cannot be understated.

“Such capabilities and systems, and more importantly, the quality of the personnel operating them, are critical to our success,” he said.

“Therefore, our mission is to ensure our young sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen are trained to meet the challenges that such an environment presents.”

Joint training will also allow the ADF to keep pace with technological change and reflect national training standards.

The new school will operate from three bases. The Joint Telecommunication School at Borneo Barracks in Cabarlah is the new Electronic Warfare Wing. The former RANCISS is the Maritime Wing and although it will remain at HMAS Cerberus in Victoria, common training elements will gradually transition to Simpson Barracks. Army and RAAF training (conducted at Simpson Barracks since 2000) will now be placed under command of the new school, which will increase in size to more than 250 command, instructional and support staff with an additional 500 students on training courses at any one time.

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