Radars on location

Deployable asset: 131 STA Bty’s WLR on exercise.

AT A GLANCE 131 STA Bty recent deployments Targeting and surveillance troops in East Timor, 1999-2002. UAV section to Op Anode in the Solomon Islands, 2003. Weapon locating radar with the AMTG, 2005.

By Lt Simone Heyer

THOUGHT the least likely to be deployed asset of 131 STA Bty’s surveillance and target acquisition capability, the AN/ TPQ-36 is part of the AMTG.

BC 131 STA Bty Maj Glen Marshall said weapon-locating radars (WLR) were deployed to Iraq, manned by soldiers from the battery.

He said deployment of the WLRs were part of the force protection capability offered by the Australian Army.

As well as the crew, other battery personnel are part of the AATTI.

The deployment to Iraq follows deployments to East Timor and the Solomon Islands in recent years.

Maj Marshall said the deployment to the Solomon Islands allowed the battery’s staff to use the UAV capability it had had since 1999. Locators worked with DSTO, the Air Force and specialists from Aerosonde, the UAV’s designers.

He said that the UAV capability was another step in the generation of a surveillance capability.

“We’ve always done surveillance and we’re increasing our force-level surveillance capability,”

he said. “We link in well with other force-level surveillance and reconnaissance assets.”

As a result of this capability growth, next year 131 STA Bty will become part of 20 STA Regt, where new tactical UAV battery will be raised, drawing from 131’s UAV trained personnel.

Heightened use of the UAVs has seen a need for training to increase in preparation for the use of UAVs, once a tender is announced in the next few months.

Maj Marshall said the core skills were currently held in the battery and that more training would take place as personnel were added.

“A number of personnel each year will conduct UAV-specific training in the UK during the raising and establishment of 20 STA Regt.”

He said the battery’s main exercise this year would be Talisman Saber 05.

As capabilities increase, Maj Marshall said, so too did the opportunity to go overseas on deployments and training.

“We are able to scale our surveillance elements to meet the requirements of either a major or minor joint task force; meaning we can support a brigade or a company operational deployment,” he said.

“We are looking at other countries’ procedures and identifying what’s best suited for the future 20 STA Regt.”

With increased deployment opportunities, Maj Marshall said the soldiers were highly motivated with deployment on operations at the forefront of their minds and the unit’s training regime.

Recruiting is taking place across the Army to identify individuals with appropriate skills and aptitude to join 131 STA Bty/20 STA Regt.

For more information contact Maj Russell Hamsey at russell.hamsey2@defence.gov.au