 |
|
HMAS
Betano manouevres to make a marriage with HMAS Manoora’s
stern door.
|
 |
|
A
reflective moment on the bridge for two of Manoora’s
bosuns.
|
 |
|
A young soldier waits to disembark from an LCH.
|
 |
|
An
LCH in silhouetted in the early morning light of Shoalwater
Bay training area.
|
By LEUT
Adam Grover
Amphibious
operations are complex and require a high level of interoperability
and careful planning to ensure their success. Above all they require
teamwork.
Exercise
Sea Eagle, recently conducted in the Shoalwater Bay training area,
showed just how well Navy, Army and Air force work together to
deal with the challenges of joint amphibious operations.
The
exercise, involving over 1000 members of the Royal Australian
Navy, the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force was
conducted between March 10 and 21. Sea Eagle involved the planning
and execution of an amphibious raid which incorporated pre-assault
operations an assault and a withdrawal.
Commander
of the Amphibious Task Group, CAPT Andy Gough said; “Exercise
Sea Eagle convincingly demonstrated the ability of the three services
to work together in a complex and demanding amphibious environment.”
The
exercise involved the movement by sea of over 500 troops, members
of the 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR), including
their equipment and vehicles; helicopters from 5th Aviation Regiment
and landing craft from 10th Force Support Battalion to the Shoalwater
Bay Training Area. The exercise cumulated in a simulated amphibious
assault by sea and by air, by elements of 2RAR.
HMA
Ships Manoora and Tobruk, four RAN Landing Craft and the deployment
of a Primary Casualty Reception Facility, staffed by a range of
Army, Navy and Air Force Health professionals were also an integral
part of the Exercise.
Further
commenting on the exercise, CAPT Gough said, “The fact that
we were able to deploy an army battalion, through a simulated
unfriendly sea environment, provide for them while afloat and
land them and bring them back to Townsville, demonstrates the
high level of cooperation between the three services and the high
level of professional skill of the soldiers, sailors and airmen
involved.”
“An
exercise of this type not only allows the Australian Defence Force
to practise amphibious operations; it further allows us to refine
the critical support services necessary to make exercises of this
scale possible.”
CO
2RAR, LTCOL John Frewen said, “Sailors soldiers and airmen
train as units all the time, but there are some things that they
can’t do unless they train together Exercise Sea Eagle proves
that the services work superbly well together as a team to enhance
the Australian Defence Force’s amphibious capability.”
Sea
Eagle sets the scene for Exercise Crocodile 03, providing an opportunity
for the ADF to enhance its amphibious warfare capability.
