Australian Army soldier Private Tahlia Reid from 1st Military Police Battalion keeps a watch on traffic flow during the heavy vehicle road move during Exercise Hamel in Cultana training area, South Australia, on 4 July 2016. *** Local Caption *** The Australian Armys 1st Brigade is being tested from 26 June to 14 July 2016 in South Australia as part of Exercise Hamel to ensure its soldiers are ready to meet the Australian Governments needs as the Australian Defence Forces ready brigade.
1st Brigade conducted a heavy vehicle road move in preparation for the commencement of war-fighting operations as part of Exercise Hamel. For 36 hours, over 500 vehicles moved via convoy from El Alamein airfield to the west side of the Cultana training area.
The convoy included M1A1 Abrams tanks and M88 Hercules armoured recovery vehicles mounted on heavy equipment transporters, and M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers, ASLAVs (Australian Light-Armoured Vehicles), Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles, artillery cannons and various trucks and 4WD vehicles.
Army uses the Road to Hamel to build up its next ready brigade and Exercise Hamel is the final test. In 2016, Darwin’s 1st Brigade is being put through its paces to ensure it is ready to support operational contingencies ranging from humanitarian assistance through to major combat operations.
Exercise Hamel 2016 involves 8000 military personnel from the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Army and the New Zealand Army.
For the first time, Exercise Hamel is being conducted in South Australia and will take place around Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Whyalla and the Cultana training area.