Aces North
Secure lead-up to Exercise Pitch Black

Aces North - RAAF Working Dog
(MPEG video 3.07 MB)

By Louise Butcher

CPL Damien Parslow and Military Working Dog Neo have been part of SECPOL patrols at RAAF Base Darwin during Exercise Aces North.

Photo by AC David Gibbs

ACES North has provided RAAF Base Darwin’s Security Police with an ideal test ahead of Exercise Pitch Black, the larger scale exercise beginning next month, according to OIC SECPOL Flight Lieutenant Samantha Day-Johnston.

“For Pitch Black we will be getting additional dog handlers, Airfield Defence Guards and security specialists to augment our capability,” FLTLT Day- Johnston said.

“We have used Aces North as a bit of a precursor to Pitch Black and because we have had new people posted in, we have had the opportunity to go back and re-test our processes and practise them.”

The 180 visiting USAF personnel who operated on base for about two weeks during Aces North brought with them a variety of equipment and weapons that needed to be secured and protected.

“During Aces North we have created some new policy and tested some things with the US security forces. It’s helped us work out how to work and communicate well together and has been a real success,” FLTLT Day-Johnston said.

“There are multi-million dollar aircraft, sensitive and classified equipment that need to protected. There are explosives, weapons and the like that need to be stored and protected. There are people, such as the Americans, here in a foreign country and they need to know what the risks and threats are and the environment they are in. We provide them with that picture.”

Links to more Aces North Coverage

A show of aces
Team's shining example
Maintaining a high standard
Fine spirit of cooperation

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