AEAs achieve a first

By FSGT Simon Koch

Airborne Electronic Analysts course graduates NCO Cadets Todd Shield, Kym Longhurst, Jayson Nichols, Michael Rosenberg, Sergeant Andrew Wood, and NCO Cadets Robert Thatcher and Les Hall in front of an AP-3C at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Absent are Flight Sergeants Geoffrey Woolley, Mick Wright and Phillip Harker. Photo by CPL Jeremy Patten

AFTER 15 months of extensive training, students of the No. 31 Airborne Electronic Analysts (AEA) course from No. 292 Squadron had reason to celebrate at RAAF Base Edinburgh on August 21.

As the first AEA course to graduate converted on to the recently upgraded AP-3C Orion aircraft, the 10 students, consisting of remusters, direct entrants and recruits who transferred from the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF), received their flight brevets and awards from Reviewing Officer Wing Commander Steve Gray from the Aircraft Research and Development Unit.

WGCDR Gray was specifically requested by the students for his accomplishment as the highest-ranking Airborne Electronics Officer to have initially graduated as a Sergeant AEA.

Graduates included Sergeant Andrew Wood, NCO Cadets Michael Rosenberg (dux of the course), Todd Shield, Kym Longhurst, Jayson Nichols, Robert Thatcher, Les Hall and Flight Sergeants Geoffrey Woolley, Mick Wright and Philip Harker.

After six months basic AEA training, three ex-RAF AEAs – already trained on the British Nimrod aircraft – also joined the course to complete the AP-3C conversion course, which consisted of theoretical and practical training on aircraft systems such as the radar, magnetic anomaly detector and identification friend and foe equipment.

The 10 students endured long hours in the new Operational Mission Trainer along with numerous tactical flights. The course culminated with a deployment to Butterworth, Malaysia, where students were exposed to an intensive operational workload to test their AEA skills.

The graduates have been posted to Nos. 10 and 11 Squadrons, RAAF Base Edinburgh, where they will form part of a 12-13 person crew on an AP-3C Orion, completing routine tasks such as surveillance patrols, search and survivor supply missions and training for combat roles.

.