Caroline Teames, Author at Second Line of Defense

Australian Army Assess the Evolution of the Land Forces in a Fluid Combat Environment

Posted on September 21, 2016 | by Caroline Teames

09/21/2016

09/21/2016: The Chief of Army’s Exercise 2016 was an invitation-only event held in Adelaide on Brisbane on 5 – 8 September 2016.

The theme was ‘Redefining boundaries for the 21st century land forces’.

According to the Australian Army:

The Chief of Army’s Exercise provides the Australian Army, together with its national, regional and global partners, with a biennial forum to discuss issues relevant to the future of land forces.

RAAF Chief of Staff, Air Marshal Davies, addresses the conference.

The Australian Army has invited senior military leaders from the Australian Army, Australian Defence Force, Australian government organisations, international military representatives and academics to participate in this year’s exercise.

This year’s theme is ‘Redefining boundaries for the 21st century land forces’.

The theme is designed to encourage discussions of the issues facing land forces now and into the future.

The theme seeks a critical examination of areas and problems where land forces have not traditionally operated.

Presentations on, and in support of, the central theme include the Indo-Pacific region in a global context, preparing land forces for hybrid threats and leading the joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational (JIIM) Force.

The Chief of Army’s Exercise 2016 is being conducted alongside Land Forces 2016 Exposition, which is being held at the same venue from 6 – 8 September 2016.

Land Forces 2016 is a comprehensive international industry exhibition to showcase land-defence equipment, technology and services for the armies of Australia, Asia and the Pacific region. The exercise timetable has several opportunities for exercise participants to interact with Land Forces 2016 exhibitors and defence industry representatives.

In his opening address, Lieutenant General Campbell said this year’s theme is designed to be thought provoking and to challenge conventions.

“Boundaries are expected to create definition, however, current and future security challenges can create ambiguity,” Lieutenant General Campbell said.

“A testing environment can be compounded by empowered individuals, assertive states and unstable planet.

“Opening the conversation encourages debate from which we gain ideas and innovative solutions.

“The 2016 Chief of Army’s exercise will investigate the impact of a fluid state on land forces, and I welcome the contribution of our military colleagues to this discussion.”

Credit: Australian Ministry of Defense:9/8/16

Exercise KAKADU 2016

Posted on September 21, 2016 | by Caroline Teames

09/21/2016: Australia’s largest international maritime exercise, Exercise KAKADU 2016, was officially launched in Darwin by the Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Stuart Mayer.

Exercise KAKADU involves nations from around the Asia-Pacific region enhance interoperability, share knowledge and develop skills in responding to threats in the maritime and air domains with a multinational force.

Commander Australian Fleet welcomed participating nations and outlined his vision for the Exercise.

“I extend a warm welcome to all nations joining Exercise KAKADU. This exercise is important for forging relationships that build the trust on which we depend in times of crisis and in peace,” Rear Admiral Mayer said.

“Australia’s regional partners have come to the crucial city of Darwin and our seas to the north to develop expertise and mastery in maritime operations. KAKADU provides an opportunity to collaborate so that our combined forces can immediately respond at times that require the support of all nations.”

Ships, submarines and aircraft from Australia, Canada, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and the United States, with observers from Fiji, India, New Zealand, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Timor Leste, Tonga and Vietnam have descended on Darwin to practise activities ranging from constabulary and surveillance scenarios to high-end maritime warfare in a combined environment.

Australia’s Commander Warfare, Commodore Malcolm Wise, said Exercise KAKADU is a chance to learn new skills and assesses the readiness of a multinational force.

“Exercise KAKADU provides training opportunities across the full spectrum of warfare. We are many nations speaking many languages and KAKADU ensures interoperability to deliver a professional, safe, communicative and integrated force,” Commodore Wise said.

Exercise KAKADU runs 12 to 23 September and includes a harbour phase for planning and simulation, before moving into a sea phase where the ships and aircraft will divide into several multi-national task groups to exercise various scenarios, culminating in a task group versus task group “free play”.

Credit: Australian Ministry of Defence:9/13/16

Remember Crocodile Dundee? Just do a Military Exercise in Australia!

Posted on September 20, 2016 | by Caroline Teames

09/20/2016

09/20/2016: Exercise Kowari participants helped local authorities capture a 4.3 metre estuarine crocodile in the Northern Territory outback while on the military survival activity in August 2016.

Members of the Australian Army, People’s Liberation Army, US Army and US Marines worked together to lift the 600-800 kilogram reptile onto a trailer after it was first tranquilised and secured by Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife rangers.

The crocodile was caught in a waterhole trap just 50 metres from the participants camp, a day prior to them arriving.

Exercise Kowari is a trilateral military survival exercise involving Australian, Chinese and United States personnel that aims to demonstrate cooperation and trust between the three nations.

Credit: Australian Ministry of Defense:9/5/16

Army and Navy Trials Aboard HMAS Adelaide: Multi User Barge Ramp Trial

Posted on September 17, 2016 | by Caroline Teames

09/17/2016

09/17/2016: HMAS Adelaide’s embarked Light Landing Craft (LLC), participated in a trial alongside Australian Army’s 1 BDE, to test and evaluate the recently built Multi User Barge Ramp facility in Darwin.

The purpose of the trial is to capture data regarding sea lanes, tidal streams, ramp capacity and environmental constraints.

Credit:Australian Ministry of Defense:9/15/16

Army and Navy Trials Aboard HMAS Adelaide: The Chinook in Focus

Posted on September 16, 2016 | by Caroline Teames

09/16/2016

09/16/2016: Australian Army CH-47F Chinook first of class flight trials are being held on HMAS Adelaide to ensure the safe operation of the helicopters onboard Canberra class amphibious ships.

Cold weather aspects of the first of class flight trials have been conducted of the east coast of Tasmania, while hot aspects of the flight trials will be held in waters off Northern Australia during 2016.

Chinooks are Army’s medium lift helicopter and the flight trials are the culmination of a joint effort between Navy and Army. HMAS Adelaide is one of two Canberra Class amphibious ships used as Landing Helicopter Docks (LHD) by the Royal Australian Navy.

The ships provide the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with one of the most capable and sophisticated air-land-sea amphibious deployment systems in the world as the vessels can embark, transport and deploy military forces along with their equipment and supporting aviation assets.

The ships are equipped with modern Command and Control and combat systems including air and surface radar, advanced communications capability and surveillance systems.

Credit: Australian Ministry of Defense:9/14/16

The Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters Deploy during Northern Shield Exercise

Posted on September 15, 2016 | by Caroline Teames

09/15/2016

09/15/2016: In this video the Tiger Army helo is seen being transported by the RAAF C-17s to the Northern Shield Exercise which has just recently concluded.

Exercise Northern Shield 2016 (NS16) is a recently concluded Australian Defence Force (ADF) training activity where high-readiness forces deploy quickly to remote locations in Australia in response to a simulated security threat.

The exercise incorporated force preparation activities, land force maneuver, air mobile operations and maritime activities.