2006 in review
Army had a busy year in 2006 both here and overseas. From tragedy to triumph, operations to new equipment, Cpl Andrew Hetherington looks back on the year that was.
Volume 11, No. 58, December 14, 2006

WHERE WE SERVED Operation Catalyst – Iraq (began July 2003) Operation Astute – Timor-Leste (began May 2006) Operation Slipper – Afghanistan (began October 2001) Operation Anode – Solomon Islands (began July 2003) Operation Mazurka – Sinai Peninsula, Egypt (MFO) (Australian involvement began in 1982) peration Azure – Sudan (Australian involvement with UNMIS began in April 2005) Operation Paladin – Middle East (Australian involvement with UNTSO began in 1956)

Oh a high: The acquisition of a further 34 new MRH-90 helicopters was announced in June, with an expected in-service date of December 2007.

Keeping calm: Soldiers from 3RAR quell an outbreak of violence in Dili. Photo by LAC Rodney Welch

Ready: Pte Andrew Evans, B Coy, 1RAR, serving in Baghdad. Photo by AB Kade Rogers.

Keeping watch: Pte Scott Brown, 6RAR, and other soldiers with the RTF maintain a secure watch while out on patrol in southern Afghanistan. Photo by Cpl Ricky Fuller

Mount up: Troops deploy to the Solomon Islands to restore stability. Photo by LACW Amanda Campbell

On track: An Abrams is unloaded at the Port of Melbourne as the tanks make their much anticipated arrival Photo by AB Kade Rogers.

AT HOME and abroad, 2006 was an incredibly engaging and eventful year for Army.

Overseas deployments, new equipment acquisitions and deliveries, announcements of the planned expansion to Army, a raised training tempo, assisting with the Commonwealth Games and responding to Cyclone Larry have made this one of the most active and industrious periods in the Army’s 105-year history.

Currently, Army has more than 2150 personnel deployed in seven locations across the globe.

In deployments close to home, Australian soldiers helped restore peace and stability in three neighbouring nations: the Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste and Tonga.

In April, more than 250 personnel were sent to the Solomon Islands to assist the Participating Police Force to quell rioting in Honiara. Currently, about 140 ADF personnel are still in the Solomon Islands as part of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands.

In May, more than 1300 soldiers deployed to Timor-Leste to calm civil unrest and violence in Dili. Operation Astute personnel still continue to keep the peace in Dili, allowing the government of Timor-Leste to continue to function and assist with the roll-out of the UN police force. The bulk of the current ADF presence in the Anzac Battle Group consists of a variety of Army units.

Last month, Australia also responded to the request for assistance from the Government of Tonga after rioting in Nuku’alofa. Fifty soldiers from 1RAR’s Ready Coy Gp were sent to secure the Fau’amotu International Airport and to assist the Tongan Defence Service.

Deployments further from home included humanitarian operations in Pakistan and Lebanon and ongoing deployments to the Middle East as part of the war against terrorism.

When the year began, Army personnel were in the Kashmir region providing medical and emergency assistance on Operation Pakistan Assist following a devastating earthquake on October 8, 2005. The medical personnel returned home in March, followed in April by the Black Hawk detachment.

Further humanitarian intervention was required when medical and logistic personnel deployed on Operation Ramp in July to assist with the evacuation of more than 5300 Australians and more than 1300 foreign nationals from the Lebanon during the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

In terms of conflict involving our soldiers, the 200-member Special Forces Task Group – which returned to Australia in September after a 12 month deployment to Afghanistan on Operation Slipper – was involved in heavy fighting on a regular basis with Taliban forces, but was extremely successful in its mission.

Also in Afghanistan, the first elements of the Reconstruction Task Force (RTF) began their deployment in early August, as part of the Netherlands-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Oruzgan province under NATO’s International Security Assistance Force. Currently, the 400-member RTF are working with their Dutch counterparts to restore basic infrastructure to the country.

In Army’s most significant mission in the Middle East, Operation Catalyst, the security of the Al Muthanna region was handed over to Iraqi Security Forces in July and the AMTG3 force relocated from Camp Smitty to the coalition air base at Tallil. AMTG3 was then redesignated as Overwatch Battle Group (West) 1, which returned to Australia in November. Elements of OBG (W) 2 began to deploy to Iraq in late October.

In Baghdad, several Secdet forces rotated through the city during the year.

Secdet 9’s deployment was marked by the death of Pte Jake Kovco in April and the injury of four members in August after a rocket exploded close to a building housing Australian personnel in the International Zone.

At home, major operations included the prompt response provided to the civilian community in North Queensland on Operation Larry Assist in March and the extensive support given to the Commonwealth Games on Operation Acolyte that same month.

Soldiers formed a bulk of the 600-member ADF relief effort that deployed to Babinda and Innisfail after Cyclone Larry. The contingent assisted local communities by restoring services, clearing debris, erecting tarpaulins, making repairs to schools, hospitals, bridges and evacuating hospital patients.

In this year’s largest peacetime operation, Army contributed significantly to the 2600-member ADF Commonwealth Games support mission.

Soldiers worked in a wide variety of roles on Operation Acolyte, ranging from entertainment to security. Soldiers not only supported the Games, but some also competed in them.

A standout result was a two-medal win by Brig Bruce Scott, who won gold in the Full Bore Rifle Individual Competition and silver in the Open Full Bore Pairs Competition.

In August, CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy made a major announcement of the plan to restructure the Army and boost personnel numbers. The plan, to be completed by 2008 involves the Army receiving 2600 additional soldiers, 8/9RAR being re-raised, 3RAR being re-roled as light infantry and 5/7RAR being split into two mechanised infantry battalions.

Major equipment deliveries, equipment acquisition announcements and the release of the details of the ADF-wide Network Centric Warfare concept featured during the year, further reinforcing the future Hardened Networked Army initiative.

In September, Army received 18 of the 59 M1A1 Abrams tanks on order when the Abrams and five M88A2 Hercules Armoured Recovery Vehicles arrived in Melbourne.

The remaining 41 tanks are expected to be delivered in April 2007, with 1 Armd Regt expected to have an operational capability by July 2007.

The first of the Heavy Tank Transporter vehicles were also delivered this year, one month before the Abrams arrived.

The major equipment acquisition announcement made this year was the $2 billion purchase of 34 additional MRH 90 helicopters, adding to an initial 2005 order of 12 aircraft.

The aircraft will eventually replace Black Hawk and Navy Sea King helicopters in a tactical transport role.

2006 was an extremely hectic and occasionally testing time for Army, challenging the readiness and flexibility of both individual soldiers and Army units working abroad and at home.