US Navy Seals jump into Australian waters during three weeks of joint training with 4RAR(Cdo) in Sydney. Photo by Pte Ben Peardon, 4RAR(Cdo)

ADF and US forces go jump in Sydney

By Capt Michael Lowe
WHILE members of the 4RAR(Cdo) operate with US forces as part of the coalition in the Middle East, other elements of the battalion have been working on interoperability with US forces in Australia.

Exercise Flash Action was the culmination of three weeks of cross training between A Coy, 4RAR(Cdo), and a US Navy SEAL platoon in Sydney.

OC A Coy Maj Craig Short said the focus was on individual skills training within a mission profile.

“The aim was to improve interoperability between the forces and enhance certain individual specialist techniques for soldiers,” he said.

“They have some different skills sets, so we were able to show them some skills in parachuting and water ops, while they shared information on some of the ways they approach their tasking.”

The exchange involved use of the CT facilities, range practices and culminated with the week-long Ex Flash Action.

In preparation for the exercise, training was conducted in roping and cliff assault procedures, CQB techniques, amphibious insertion and extraction and Parachute Load Follow.

A target was identified at North Sydney heads and the Commando Task Element (CTE) inserted at sea by parachute and moved by zodiacs to an insertion point at the cliff heads.

They conducted a rocky landing and, in reaching the target, the force element donned the necessary protective equipment for the use Sim Tex ammunition inside the complex.

The CTE conducted the assault without being compromised and once inside made short work of the ‘live’ and figure 11 targets located in the bunker/tunnel systems before withdrawing to the beach landing site for Zodiac extraction.

Maj Short said the US and Australian groups had a focus on the same end result with different skill sets and methodologies to achieve it.

“Working with foreign forces certainly provides our soldiers with an improved experience base to see other ways of doing things and subsequently incorporate the good things and discard those elements that don’t work well within our system.”

.