Sergeant Kate Ramsbotham, Sergeant Matthew Basedow and Flight Lieutenant Alastair Hill, all from 10SQN, on the tarmac of the Naval Air Station in San Diego. Photos by 92WG Photographic

A detachment of No. 92 Wing personnel has confirmed the RAAF's ability to work in an intense, multi-threat maritime environment after participating in Pacific Joint Task Force Exercise (PAC JTFEX 02-2) at Naval Air Station on North Island, San Diego.

At the invitation of Commander Third Fleet, three crews and two P-3C Orion aircraft from 92WG participated in the joint maritime warfare field training exercise with United States and Canadian forces.

The purpose of JTFEX 02-2 was to provide realistic, challenging maritime warfare training and to qualify the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Battle group (ALBG) for forward deployment.

92WG's JTFEX 02-2 detachment commander, Wing Commander Alan Towie, said the exercise provided the crews with high quality training in, and role qualification for, direct support to naval forces, anti-submarine surveillance, under-sea warfare and direct support anti-surface warfare.

"The number of aircraft and ships, the different location and the different weather conditions all contributed to us gaining significant benefits from the exercise," said WGCDR Towie, who is the Commanding Officer of No. 11 Squadron.

"The exercise also provided the opportunity for individual aircrew category qualification upgrades and renewals."

He said 86 personnel deployed to San Diego, including two crews from 10SQN and a crew from 11SQN, plus 31 maintenance specialists.

"The maintenance personnel, all from 11SQN, worked in two overlapping shifts, the first from 7am to 7pm and the night shift taking over at 7pm and working through until 7am. It was excellent exposure for them and the aircrew," he said.

Sergeant Kate Ramsbotham, an Airborne Electronics Analyst (AEA), thoroughly enjoyed the San Diego exercise, particularly as it was first time she had ventured overseas with 92WG.

"I completed my AEA course in December last year and joined 10SQN in January so this was the first exposure I have had to a large exercise environment," said SGT Ramsbotham, who remustered to AEA after spending eight years working on the P3 Orion flightline as a Aircraft Technician.

"The most interesting thing for me was actually working overseas with the Americans and seeing how they do business.

"The contact density and amount of air traffic provided me with good training experience. In Australia you might see some Navy ships during a fleet support, whereas over there we were seeing aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates and it was so interesting to have the opportunity to work at that level. We do 'ship reccie' (ship recognition practice) at home all the time, but it's certainly different to see them for real ."

Four of the ground crew had the opportunity to board a C-2A Greyhound and fly out to the Nimitz class carrier USS Abraham Lincoln for a couple of hours.

The aircraft, which is used to carry cargo and passengers out to aircraft carriers, conducted its standard "arrested landing" in and "cat shot" off the Abraham Lincoln.

92WG support staff also played an integral role in the exercise, with two operations officers, five training cell personnel, three Electronic Warfare Squadron personnel and an Administrative Officer taking part.

By Deanna Nott and
FLGOFF Melinda Boneham