29 July 2025
Operating an airbase in an austere location may seem like a huge undertaking, but for Royal Australian Air Force Contingency Response personnel deployed to RAAF Base Curtin, it was business as usual.
Deployed for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, the integrated team of more than 550 aviators, soldiers and five military working dogs demonstrated Air Force’s ability to conduct agile, expeditionary airbase operations in remote locations.
Commander of the Task Element and Base Commander, Wing Commander Paul Rickert, said planning the training continuum for an exercise of this scale started last year, ramping up into more detailed planning in 2025.
“Planning to run an airbase is quite a significant investment,” Wing Commander Rickert said.
“The Task Element contains personnel from a range of specialisations such as infantry combat teams from the Australian Army’s 2nd (Australian) Division and Air Force Security Forces, through to health, administration, logistics, engineering, firefighters and communications personnel.”
International partners from the United States Air Force (USAF) and Royal Canadian Air Force also integrated as part of the Task Element at RAAF Base Curtin across security, health, operations, logistics and air traffic control.
“This year we ratified a Sister Squadron agreement with USAF’s 36 Contingency Response Group and I am very proud to see their integration with 382 Contingency Response Squadron personnel during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025,” Wing Commander Rickert said.
“We have also seen a number of significant training milestones within the Role 2 Hospital and Mobile Air Operations Centre, including the endorsement of air traffic qualifications for Canadian Air Traffic Controllers.”
'The security of this base is critical to the Defence of Australia and for me to command soldiers and aviators on this airbase to create that secure environment is one of the most significant milestones.'
Another unique achievement was Air Force Security Force’s integration with the Australian Army’s 2nd (Australian) Division.
“The security of this base is critical to the Defence of Australia and for me to command soldiers and aviators on this airbase to create that secure environment is one of the most significant milestones,” Wing Commander Rickert said.
RAAF Base Curtin is located in Western Australia and is one of three Contingency Operating Bases postured to support land, air and sea operations aimed at securing Australia’s northern approaches.
“The open day was a way for us to show our appreciation to Derby and the broader Kimberley region communities for their ongoing support to the Australian Defence Force,” Wing Commander Rickert said.
“Derby and the surrounding community provide so much support to Defence in order for us to conduct training in the very region which is critical to the defence of Australia.
“Without this support, we would not be able to achieve the highly effective training outcomes that we do.
“We conduct regular activities here annually and the community has been amazing to acknowledge that support.”
The success of Exercise Talisman Sabre at RAAF Base Curtin enforces Air Force’s ability to conduct agile, expeditionary airbase operations in remote locations.
