Fire the torpedoes

Flight engineer FSGT Paul Gregory does preflight checks before an Orion sortie at RIMPAC.

Photos by LAC Mike Lucas

CPL Jonathan Speight, CPL Mark Ingram and SGT David Hirst, all of No. 11 Squadron, inspect an MK46 exercise torpedo before loading it on to an AP-3C.

Two No. 92 Wing Orions and 116 personnel have just completed a month in paradise, but most of their stay was hard work.

The aircraft and personnel were based at the US Marine air base at Kaneohe Bay on the island of Oahu during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2002.

They were supported by C- 130s and B707s that ferried cargo and passengers between the base and Australia.

The Orions departed RAAF Base Edinburgh on July 11 and were quickly in the thick of the action in RIMPAC, held from June 29 to July 27.

Their tasking included antisubmarine patrols, anti-surface strike and reconnaissance, surveillance and other maritime tasks in support of the Multinational Force opposing the Bilateral Force.

No. 11 Squadron crews 1 and 5 successfully released four antisubmarine exercise torpedoes during the “Missilex” phase of the exercise at the US Navy’s submarine instrumentation range at Barking Sands off the island of Kauai on July 9.

This is the first international exercise in the past five years where 92WG crews have dropped torpedoes as part of their training program.

This made RIMPAC 2004 a rare opportunity for both air and ground crews to develop and refine valuable anti-submarine warfare skills in an international environment, noting the recent focus on surveillance demanded by operational commitments such as Operations Relex and Catalyst.

The torpedoes were fired against a MK32 underwater target, which took on the role of a submarine.

The MK46 Mod 5A(SW) torpedo, the current air and ship-launched anti-submarine torpedo, will soon be replaced by the Eorotorp MU-90.

The MK46 was prepared for loading on the AP-3C Orion by fitting air launch accessories, including suspension bands for a bomb rack and an air stabiliser to ensure the torpedoes entered the water at the correct trajectory.

This year’s exercise involved forces from the US, UK, Japan, Chile, South Korea and Canada.

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Mission control

Australian personnel involved in the Combined Air Operations Centre during RIMPAC: (back row) LCDR Paul Moggach, WGCDR Ian Watts, GPCAPT Jim Brown, FLTLT Robert Kalnins, SQNLDR David Hombsch, FLGOFF Robert Vine, (front) FLGOFF Brett Yorke, FLTLT Karoline Palmer and SQNLDR Lee de Winton.

Members of Headquarters Air Command (HQAC) helped task up to 200 missions a day as part of Exercise RIMPAC.

They joined a multinational Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) that planned and coordinated air assets during all phases of RIMPAC.

Group Captain Jim Brown served as the CAOC Director, the first Australian to secure this key role.

The 140-strong CAOC team included personnel from No. 92 Wing and Deployable Joint Force Headquarters – Maritime.

RIMPAC provided an excellent opportunity for participating forces to improve tactical capabilities and significantly increase interoperability between participating units.

In particular, participation in the CAOC allowed HQAC staff to further refine the development and training required in standing up of the Joint Force Air Component Command, which now forms a permanent part of HQAC.

Australian Air Force and Navy personnel operated alongside their coalition partners utilising a common computer network and the latest air tasking tools.

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