Battle in top gear
Air Force stacks up against the best from Army and Navy in counter-air exercise

By Andrew Stackpool
Volume 48, No. 10, June 15, 2006

RIGHT STUFF: Members from Forward Air Control & Development Unit (FACDU) take a break during Exercise Aces North. Rear, L to R is, CPL Mick Rand, LAC Ali Boland, LAC Mick Prilick, CPL Brett Cole and FLTLT Scott McNichol. Front, L to R is, FLTLT Dave Jorgensen, CPL Cam Fox, FLGOFF Glenn Hardwick, LAC Dale Richardson and SGT Darrell Greig.

Photo by LAC Steve Duncan

* No. 29 Fighter Combat Instructor (FCI) course will graduate on June 17 after five months and 80 flying hours. Aircrew nominated for the course become experts in the tactical employment of fast jet aircraft. The course was originally designed as a 12-week postgraduate course providing specialist training in air-to-air combat tactics to address a perceived post-World War II decline in combat experience. The course is divided into four phases including instruction, tactical air-to-air, (Aces South), air-to-surface with long-range simulated strikes into southern Queeensland, and the final phase is counter-air, Aces North.

ELEVEN Air Force high flyers battled stiff opposition over the Top End when Exercise Aces North moved into top gear.

The three-week exercise began on May 19.

Commanded by OC 78WG, GPCAPT David Steele, controlled from RAAF Base Tindal by Directing Staff from 2OCU, 6SQN, SACTU and 87 SQN and flown from Tindal and Darwin, Aces North was the culmination of No. 29 Fighter Combat Instructor (FCI) course, which teaches aircrew Fighter Combat Instructors, Fighter Combat Controllers (FCC) and Fighter Intelligence Instructors (FII) the skills necessary for fighter aircraft and air defence operations.

It was the 52nd FCI course, a 23-week course covering flying instruction and the air-to-air and air-to-ground combat training that reflects the multi-role capability of modern fighters.

Aces North involved Army assets, including Special Forces, Ground Liaison Officers and Joint Terminal Area Controllers in the Forward Air Control & Development Unit. A naval ship was redeployed to support operations in Timor-Leste.

Six F/A-18 pilots, an F-111 pilot and an F-111 navigator participated, while three students attended the seventh FCC Course, which was being run concurrently by 41WG. Two students completed the seventh FII course, being cordinated by 87SQN.

CO 2OCU WGCDR Chris Huet said the exercise aimed to simulate as closely as possible the stresses of actual combat.

“Previously in the exercise there were two missions a day,” he said.

“However we then conducted one large mission [each day], comprising 20-40 aircraft.”

The students worked 12 hour days, planning, flying and debriefing missions, for six days a week. At the same time, the squadrons were launching large numbers of aircraft loaded with real weapons.

Night operations commenced on May 24, and from then on the majority of missions were at night and missions changed from strike and interdiction to army support after land forces captured much of the area of operations.

A highlight was on May 31 when air assets escorted Special Forces in C-130 and Blackhawk aircraft to capture a strategic point. Once on the ground, the troops called in air support to assist.

“The exercise has been a great success,” WGCDR Huet said.

“Current operations have placed considerable stress on 396 Combat Support Wing units in the Top End, but regardless, 322 Combat Support Squadron provided excellent support.

“We have been flying the most advanced tactical exercises the Air Force conducts and learning great lessons for all involved, not just the candidates.”

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