Three F/A-18 from 75SQN based at Tindal being refuelled by a RAAF B707 from 33SQN based at Richmond, NSW. (Photograph by LACW Christine Huf.)

Australia's major biennial training exercise with United States forces, 'Tandem Thrust', has commenced in the Shoalwater Bay area in Queensland. More than 12,000 Australian and 15,000 American personnel will participate in the month long exercise.

The Australians represent all three forces and come from all parts of the country.
Exercise Tandem Thrust will also involve 32 ships and some 200 aircraft. The recently arrived Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft will also participate. The exercise will focus on the planning and conduct of combined operations.

It will exercise Australian forces in working with Allied forces in a war fighting environment, as well as develop the ADF's interoperability with US and other forces, and refine procedures for combined operations.

LAC Daniel Smith from the RAAF's 77 Squadron and CPL Luke Aspden from the USAF heading to the flight line at Rockhampton Airport. (Photograph by WO2 Geoff Fox.)

The term 'combined' is used to indicate an operation conducted by forces of two or more nations acting together for the accomplishment of a single mission. 'Joint' activities, operations, organisations and the like refer to elements of more than one Service of the same nation participating together.

Highlights of the exercise will be the amphibious landing in Shoalwater Bay and the sinking by warships and aircraft of a decommissioned American naval vessel in deep waters off the Queensland coast. This vessel has been prepared for this activity under stringent guidelines and inspections to mitigate any environmental impacts.

Under the exercise scenario, a friendly 'Blue Force', drawn from a combined Australian and American force, will conduct an amphibious landing at Shoalwater Bay following an opposed sea passage. The US Commander Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral James Metzger, USN will command the 'Blue Force'.

An enemy 'Orange Force' of Australian and American forces supported by an element of the Canadian Navy and commanded by the Commander of First Division, Major General Jim Molan will oppose it.

Commenting on the exercise MAJGEN Molan said today that Tandem Thrust 2001 provided an excellent opportunity for the ADF to increase its own professional war fighting skills in a combined and joint environment, as well as further relations with Australia's major ally.

A landing craft disembarks armoured personnel carriers from 3/4 Cavalry Regiment, Townsville, as part of the Blue Force amphibious assault on the Shoalwater Bay training area. (Photograph by LACW Christine Huf.)

'Recent history has taught us that Armed Forces may be called upon to embark on combined operations with very short warning,' he said. 'The Tandem Thrust series of exercises ensure that the ADF is ready to move at short notice and integrate quickly into larger operations if it is ever required to do so.'

'I am looking forward to a challenging exercise from which valuable lessons may be learned and implemented in any future contingency,' he said.

The first phase of the exercise will focus on a command post exercise to be held aboard USS Blue Ridge from 3-11 May. The second phase from 12-24 May will comprise a field training exercise in which the respective Commanders, in a free-play war fighting scenario, will manoeuvre the opposing forces. The exercise will conclude from 24-29 May with a multinational live firing exercise using ships, aircraft and land-based systems.