Air Force involved in explosive action

An Air Force Explosive Ordnance team practises fast-rope skills on a parachute jump tower during Dugong 02.

THE Twofold Bay area, near the NSW town of Eden, is safe again after a successful Navy Mine Clearance and Explosive Ordnance Disposal exercise wound up on the South Coast.

Twenty-five Air Force personnel from various combat support group units joined members of the Navy for Dugong 02, an exercise testing the Australian Defence Force’s ability to locate, recover and dispose of simulated explosives in a mock scenario.

In Dugong 02, an amphibious task group was formed to land an assault force.

The Air Force Explosive Ordnance (EOD) teams had the task of clearing unexploded ordnance and home-made explosives from airfields and assets on land which had been booby-trapped by the “enemy”.

Fourteen EOD personnel from No. 1 Combat Logistics Squadron, No. 382 and No. 386 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron were split into Blue Force and White Cell.

The four White Cell personnel performed the role of a judging panel, setting up the explosive ordnance scenarios, evaluating the teams and ensuring their safety while performing the tasks.

Two Blue Force teams of five members used a variety of “insertion” methods on the EOD missions, embarking from helicopters via fast rope, and travelling in vehicles and on foot.

The exercise, in which Air Force personnel performed extremely well, demonstrated successful interoperability between the Air Force and Navy in the EOD field.

Ten Air Force cooks, led by Corporals Andrew Price and Michelle Rose, and a medic, Leading Aircraftwoman Megan Sellers, were also involved in the exercise.

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