COALITION
forces have been impressed with the ability of deployed Air Force
personnel to cope with the extreme weather conditions being experienced
in the Middle East.
Director
General Military Public Affairs Brigadier Mike Hannan said that
aircraft maintainers have had to work hard to protect their machinery
from the fine-particle sand and dust in the region.
He
said winds had been reaching speeds of up to 65km/h, whipping
up powerful dust storms that had reduced visibility to as little
as 70m.
Aircraft
maintainers, he said, had been using the calm periods between
storms to improve and maintain dust sealing on machinery.
“Of
course, our forces have had plenty of experience with dusty conditions
here in northern Australia,” BRIG Hannan said.
And
our gear is generally well proven in these types of conditions
and, of course, our people know how to keep it going.”
