By
PTE John Wellfare
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F-111s
from No. 6 Squadron have been training in low-level
operations through mountainous areas in south eastern
Australia.
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Striking
targets in mountainous regions is more complicated
than in open areas.
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F-111
crews must plan their approach carefully when striking
targets in mountainous areas.
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Photo
by LAC Andrew Eddie
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FOUR
F-111s from No. 6 Squadron have practiced terrain-following strike
operations in Australia’s south eastern high country for
Exercise Southern Mountaineer from April 19-29.
F-111 navigator Flying Officer Scott Hannah said the mountainous
terrain in Southern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania gave aircrews the
chance to practice their trade while facing challenges not often
encountered up north.
“The northern ranges are kind of dwarfed in comparison to
the Snowy Mountains and places like that, specifically with regard
to low flying visual conditions and terrain following operations,”
he said.
“There are also all the things that come along with working
out of a deployed base – difference in air space, operating
with different agencies that aren’t used to working with
us and things like that.”
Low-level strike operations in mountainous areas are both more
challenging to fly and more challenging to plan, FLGOFF Hannah
said.
“High terrain gives us the ability to terrain shield and
mask our presence, but it also gives us a lot more considerations
when it comes to striking targets.
“Things like whether we’re going to be able to see a
target in a given profile.
“When you’re striking targets in and around ravines
with big hills in either direction and you’ve got formation
considerations and things like that, it kind of ups the ante and
makes it a bit more complicated. It makes the target a lot harder
to hit and you have to think a lot more about how exactly you
want to hit the target.”
A lot of the training during Ex Southern Mountaineer was undertaken
at night, which comes with its own unique challenges when flying
over rugged terrain.
“In daytime we can terrain-follow [using radar] but obviously
we’ve got our eyes as a backup, whereas of a night time,
when you can’t see the mountains, you are implicitly trusting
the system,” FLGOFF Hannah said.
“We obviously have a great understanding of the system and
there are numerous fail-safes, but it does get sporty.”
