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Army parachutists drop into the ocean from a C-130 Hercules
as part of Exercise Swift Eagle. Photos by WO2 Gary Ramage
and CPL Jason Weeding, 1JPAU(P).
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A member of 2AFDS guards a C-130J Hercules during Exercise
Swift Eagle.
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MEMBERS
of No. 2 Airfield Defence Squadron at RAAF Base Amberley were
recently called on to evacuate Australian nationals from an island
no one has ever heard of, let alone knows the location of.
Exercise Swift Eagle 02, which ran from September 19-26, brought
together the different service capabilities of the ADF in a scenario
built around the evacuation of Australians from the fictitious
island of Capricornia.
Nearly a thousand local role-players from central Queensland communities
were evacuated from their homes in helicopters, aircraft and landing
craft.
Four No. 37 Squadron C-130J Hercules, four No. 38 Squadron Caribous
and one C-130H from the RNZAF combined with 11 Army Blackhawk
and four Chinook helicopters from 5 Aviation Regiment to ensure
effective evacuations.
About 70 men from all four rifle flights at 2AFDS took part in
a short-notice readiness activity as part of the exercise.
Pilot Officer Adam Penberthy, Commander of No. 4 Rifle Flight,
said that the squadron spent five days on the ground in Central
Queensland supporting 3 Brigade in their airfield defence roles.
“We secured their APOD (Airfield Point of Departure) and
had 41 men on the ground securing the aircraft and protecting
the Air Force assets,” he said.
A concurrent activity saw 30 Airfield Defence Guards doing in-flight
aircraft security which, PLTOFF Penberthy said, involved securing
passengers on the aircraft and providing close security to the
aircraft.
“We had an evacuee handling centre where the Australian nationals
and approved foreign nationals were processed,” he said.
“Then we’d fly them to safety – back to Australia.
“There were a number of scenarios on the exercise to test
the aircrew and test our guys to see what the reactions were in
the aircraft itself.”
Exercise Commander Major General Mark Evans described Swift Eagle
as an “overwhelming success”, stressing the importance
of the ADF having the capability to protect and evacuate Australians
in foreign countries if required.
“We need to train for this – we need to be good at it,”
MAJGEN Evans said.
Swift Eagle also provided an opportunity for the ADF’s behind-the-scenes
personnel to show their skills, according to RAAF Base Townsville’s
Squadron Leader Pete Turner.
“When people think of a military exercise, they naturally
think of aircraft in the sky, ships at sea and troops on the ground,”
SQNLDR Turner said.
“However, those activities are a bit like the ten per cent
of the iceberg, the tip you can see. You don’t really see,
or perhaps even fully appreciate what goes on in support of those
activities.”.
