If Exercise Desert Predator questioned the resources, capabilities and commitment of the Royal Australian Air Force Airfield Defence Guards (ADGs) and its supporting infrastructure, then the answer is unequivocal.

During the exercise recently conducted at RAAF Base Tindal, near the heart of Australia, our ADGs more than proved their worth, as participants were pushed to the limit over two weeks in challenging conditions testing mental, physical and emotional faculties.

The scenario surrounding the exercise was defined by the fictional state of Kamaria and the Lessor Islands, within the Australian region disputing Australian gas and oil rights in the Timor Sea. The ensuing standoff between Governments, lead to a Kamarian Armed Forces Special Operation Group physically threatening RAAF Base Tindal.

'Watchdog 1' aka LAC Shallum Hogan checks incoming traffic with HQ.

The ADGs primary role in this event was to provide ground defence - despite the fact, Air Force is better known for air power. Air Force maintains ground control given the need to protect these air power assets around Australia.

This was the focus of the exercise at Tindal, demonstrated by a defensive Blue force, who in small and dedicated units protected Base lines employing everything at their disposal to ensure the infiltrating Orange force could not penetrate the Base.

Orange force was made up of a small unit of ADGs, housed off RAAF Tindal in keeping with their detached offensive role.

Units and personnel included two Airfield Defence Squadrons, 30 RAF and 35 RAAF Reserve members, and a large proportion of staff from RAAF Tindal.

The value in conducting the defensive exercise at Tindal, according to OC 322CSS Wing Commander Mark Simpson, relates to the fact Australia may, one day, be in a conflict situation of this type.

'The exercise allows troops to adjust to conditions, and terrain (for observation and camoflague) and further, practise communications to discover black spots and the like,' said WGCDR Simpson.

Officer-in-Charge EXCON Squadron Leader Dennis Anderson, Plans Ground Defence Officer at Headquarters Air Command, was the Exercise Desert Predator mastermind - from his initially contact and approval from the Chief of Staff Air Command, to the planning phase that identifying the players, through to organising participating units in the exercise.

As OIC EXCON, SQNLDR Anderson's main role was to manage the adjudicating unit, who for all intent purposes 'referee' war-games, in addition to the opposition force.

'The purpose of the exercise is to simulate, as closely as possible, a realistic special force enemy - to have them attack the Base, so that Blue force can find them and deal with them,' said SQNLDR Anderson. 'Blue force are learning lots of valuable lessons.'

On the part of the Orange force, this involved identifying targets, measuring access and employing the appropriate weapon systems - matching the weapons system to the terrain and the target.

EXCON umpires, who travel with Orange force, determine the success or failure of the missions carried out during the exercise.

In addition, a security police officer with EXCON generates intelligence, which would normally filter through from HQAST, to exercise the ground combat intelligence section within Blue force.

They interpret the 'hints' and best guess what the enemy will do, in order to pre-empt a strike.

Flight Lieutenant Andrew Roberts OIC Ground Combat Intelligence (GCI) described 'intell' as the provision of situational awareness to the commander, to aid his decision making on the battlefield.

A relatively new role to Air Force, Army had previously supplied all GCI; however, while the RAAF appreciate the support of its joint forces, they no longer rely on them to provide for its capabilities.

'Ground intelligence approached the exercise a month prior to its commencement, described as the 'intelligent preparation battlefield' - which involves research on location in terms condition and terrain, and of course, the enemy.

'GCI predominantly examine the battle from the enemy's perspective. And the commander has operations personnel who view the exercise from the friendly angle. That enables us to develop a likely scenario, to stay ahead of the game - and make decisions fast,' said FLTLT Roberts.

FSGT Todd Ackerley and CPL Christina Millard work side by side in battle command.

Once deployed, GCI collate the relevant information with feeds from higher command, by conducting briefs and debriefs in the field; that information returns to the central cell at the Base command. The information is then ordered and analysed, and finally briefed to the commander, effecting positively command ability to conduct the operation.

FLTLT Roberts commented he was reasonably happy with Exercise Desert Predator, prior to its wind-up. 'This is the first time we've put a GCI together in this scenario and it's worked reasonably well. We've some training issues we need to identify, but other that…'

The types of information GCI have received largely pertain to enemy activity; and given the aim of GCI is to know what the enemy is doing, when and how, in order to prepare - Air Force has adjusted well to the role.

FLTLT Roberts commented this was his first involvement in a base command post, having normally worked in a squadron-level command post, and as such the learning process was invaluable.

One of GCI's most important means of communication and control from its command post is through Base Security Police.

Base Security Officer Flight Lieutenant John Waugh outlined exercise responsibilities in terms of regulating base security levels.

In the first week of exercise, FLTLT Waugh ensured base police provided security patrols, access control and responded to any reported sightings of enemy forces; therefore, acting in a ground intelligence role.

The experience, according to FLTLT Waugh has given Base Security officers new to Tindal, a chance develop a certain skill set.

And given that the information flow is a crucial issue for any military capability, field debriefs conducted by Security Police Officers, Sergeant Gary Hall, Leading Aircraftman Lee Hutchinson and Leading Aircraftwoman Emma Hall rate all-important.

LAC Hutchinson described his role 'to debrief incoming patrolling squadrons - as gathering intelligence via the patrol groups with reference to significant terrain changes and enemy contact, which details equipment, their mode of operation and other noteworthy aspects.

'Similarly, we feed information to the squadrons to create them with a situational picture. Following the field debriefs, we create intelligence report which is then presented to the commander during the daily brief.'

LAC Hutchinson also commented that 'despite the importance of creating a situational awareness for the commander, anyone could provide an account on what is happening; the guts of their role was analyse the goings on and provide assessments on a likely developing scenario, in order to facility preparation.'

With an international flavour to the exercise, a small contingent from the RAF joined the Amberley ADGs in both offensive and defensive roles.

The offensive sniper, Corporal Stuart Males section commander from the UK found the difference in exercise interesting, but removed from his usual role as he commented on 'going against the squadron'.

With its size and realism a bonus, CPL Males explained the sniper role is 'to disrupt the enemy, shooting key opportunity targets like aircraft and pilots.

'We work in pairs - nipping in quietly behind the enemy to take the shot and hopefully, quietly extract.

'Whereas is you've a big force, they are more likely to find enemy patrols - we often times sneak through.'

Group Captain John Kennedy, Officer Commanding RAAF Tindal enjoyed his first Base exercise, also filling the position of Officer Commanding Exercise Desert Predator. This, he said, involved being the mainstay of conflict direction and running the designated orders group, which lays out the mission - essentially, the chief overseer.

The objective of the exercise was to secure personnel and assets at RAAF Tindal, in order to sustain air operations. GPCAPT Kennedy's personal intent as OC 322CSW was to maintain uninterrupted air operations in order to support national interests.

With both objectives met, the exercise has proven its strengths and weaknesses, according to GPCAPT Kennedy.

'Its resounding strength has been the people themselves; their dedication, motivation, and applied training. The weakness has been the size of RAAF Tindal; it has been very difficult to defend the substantial perimeter.

'The participation personnel were not in ratio to the Base dimension. The shortfalls that have been identified are an important reason we conduct exercises, so they may be addressed,' said GPCAPT Kennedy.

The marked difference the OC noted, between this exercise and those previous conducted, had been the command post - having the logisticians, administrators, security police, air traffic controllers, ground combat intelligence and legal officers in Headquarters proved its weight in gold.

Immediate access to information and distribution capabilities as required, facilitated the communication process, paramount to the exercise execution.

'Exercise highlights include denying the enemy the freedom of their action, said GPCAPT Kennedy. 'We've captured a few, including a few kills.'

So with Blue and Orange force out on the oblatory prowl day and night, their support crew, in the form of the Airmen's Mess personnel filled their hungry mouths.

The response from the ADGs was accounted for by the feeding frenzy, with over 5500 hot-box meals sent into the field throughout the exercise.

Sergeant Eddie Hassle commented the meal distribution had worked quite smoothly, as catering is accustomed to the operation, despite the increased scale.

The main difference was exercise participation by Mess personnel in a Blue force role; however, the Mess area was not a component of the exercise.

With Desert Predator, the largest RAAF ground combat exercise in 2001, over and out - participating personnel in all areas are left to scrutinise the process and execution in detail, with most just grateful for an extended period of sleep.

Air Force News will publish more photographs of Exercise Desert Predator in next month's edition.

Story and Photographs by Amber McKinnon