Army aviation in Australia 1970-2015

Army aviation in Australia
1970-2015
www.army.gov.au
IMAGE: Australian War Memorial COM-69-0251-VN
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Army aviation in Australia, 1970-2015
Australian Army Flying Museum, Oakey
Since humble beginnings in the 1950s, the Australian Army’s aviation element has grown
significantly and become a key part of Army’s training, humanitarian and combat capability.
The drive to create an Army aviation element in the late 1940s and early 1950s had grown out
of the experience of WWII. With the disbandment of the Australian Flying Corps at the end of
WWI, flight training of Army personnel ceased. Army’s association with aircraft was maintained
during WWII when Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (RAA) officers flew as observers with
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots directing artillery fire, mostly from Auster light aircraft.
The need for Army’s own organic aviation assets was recognised as early as 1943. Army
developed a proposal to acquire helicopters to assist with engineer reconnaissance. The proposal
progressed to an advanced stage before the Defence committee of the day decided that RAAF
should take charge. RAAF pilots were trained and six Sikorsky R-5 helicopters were ordered,
but the war ended before they were delivered and the order was cancelled. In 1946, the Director of Royal Artillery (DRA) discovered that he had authority for Air Observation
Pilots on the RAA establishment and arranged for an RAA Captain, Ken J Oram, to be trained
as an Air Observation Post (AOP) pilot in the UK. Between 1946 and 1951 three Army officers
underwent basic and advanced flight training in Britain. This renewed Army’s involvement as an
operator of military aircraft, and became the catalyst for the future development of Army aviation.
Army required aircraft for reconnaissance, surveillance, fire control and liaison purposes. In 1950
the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) and Chief Air Staff (CAS) agreed that RAA pilots should fly light
aircraft on AOP duties. This allowed Army officers to become Army flying instructors with 16 AOP
Flight (RAAF). Army pilots trained primarily in the UK during the period 1947-1951, and were in turn
posted as instructors on the staff of 16 AOP Flight to conduct courses. In 1951, Army AOP pilots
were allocated to the British Commonwealth Forces in Korea. They carried out the tasks of artillery
observation and reconnaissance for the Allied Forces using Auster aircraft. From 1951 to 1953, five
Australians served in the Korean War with 1903 AOP Flight in the British Commonwealth Division.
Captain Bryan ‘Joe’ Luscombe was killed in action in Korea, Army’s first fatal aviation battle
casualty since WWI.
In late 1953, Army pilots were deployed to the Malayan Emergency, carrying out patrols and
reconnaissance along the Malay-Thai border. They quickly demonstrated the versatility and
effectiveness of soldiers flying aircraft who were both familiar with the terrain and also more aware
of the issues facing ground troops in the field.
Other Army pilots continued to provide support to major formation exercises within Australia,
and whilst providing limited support, demonstrated to Army the wider uses of light aircraft in
reconnaissance, liaison and light transport roles. This experience led to the formation of the 1st
Army Aviation Company (1 Avn Coy) at Bankstown, New South Wales. 1 Avn Coy was equipped
with various charted civilian aircraft, and staffed by both Army officer and senior non-commissioned
officer (SNCO) pilots. The unit was particularly useful in providing aerial support to the Royal
Australian Survey Corps in their mapping efforts in northern and western Australia. www.army.gov.au
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16 AOP Flight and 1 Avn Coy were unable to meet more than a fraction of the Army’s need for
light aircraft support, and the capacity and age of the Auster Mk III exacerbated the deficiency.
In 1958, the Austers were replaced by Cessna 180A models, slightly modified for Army service.
Despite some strong resistance from within RAAF, the decision was taken by the Defence
committee that Army required its own organic light aircraft element by 1958. Reservations around
airworthiness considerations and negotiation meant that firm plans to implement this decision were
not made until 1960. On 1 December 1960, both 16 AOP Sqn and 1 Avn Coy were disbanded, and 16 Army Light
Aircraft (ALA) Squadron was formed at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. 16 ALA Sqn was
equipped with the new Cessna 180A and the Bell 47 Souix, and supported Army throughout
Australia. On 18 November 1962, modern Army aviation’s first operational deployment occurred
when 16 ALA Sqn dispatched Australian Army aviation’s first United Nations detachment as part
of the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA). The two Sioux helicopters and 11
personnel provided vital air support in helping combat a cholera outbreak in western New Guinea. In June 1965, the first training course for Army aircraft technicians was completed. This course
consisted of Royal Australian Electrical Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) members who had
transferred from other trades. A total of 38 personnel completed the initial course. Of these 13
were airframe fitters, 13 were engine fitters, 5 were instrument fitters, 2 were electrical fitters and 5
were radio fitters. This was an enormous leap forward for the capability.
In July 1965, 161 Reconnaissance Flight (161 Recce Flt) was raised from 16 ALA Sqn at RAAF
Base Amberley to deploy to South Vietnam in support of 1st Australian Task Force. This element
was commanded by Major Paul Lipscombe, Royal Australian Army Service Corps, and was the
first time since 1918 that an Australian Army aviation unit had been readied for war.
161 Recce flight initially operated two Cessna 180 and two Sioux G-3B-1 helicopters, but the
fleet was later increased to six Sioux and three Cessnas. During the more than seven years on
operations in South Vietnam, the flight operated five types of aircraft (Sioux, Cessna, Pilatus Porter,
O-1 Bird Dog and OH58-A helicopter) and flew more than 72,000 hours. Three pilots were killed in
action – Major George Constable, Captain Barry Donald and 2nd Lieutenant Alan Jellie.
On 26 April 1966, 16 ALA Sqn was renamed 1st Divisional Army Aviation Regiment in keeping with
the rest of Army nomenclature. Eleven months later, on 31 March 1967, the Regiment was officially
retitled the 1st Aviation Regiment. The Regiment comprised of an operational squadron (16 Sqn)
and a training squadron. On 1 July 1968, Australian Army aviation came of age with the formation of the Australian Army
Aviation Corps, with Corps seniority after Infantry. Initial Corps membership was limited only to
officers – 106 at the beginning – all of whom were qualified pilots.
At the same time, a search was instituted to find a suitable ‘home’ for the Aviation Corps, with the
pre-requisite being good training areas and uncluttered airspace. Several locations were examined
(Wagga Wagga and Uranquinty in New South Wales being two), but it was finally agreed that
the airfield at Oakey in Queensland would be the best. A civilian airport at the time, Oakey was
transferred to Army control on 1 July 1969, and a permanent home for Australian Army aviation
was built.
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The Sioux helicopter had been the mainstay of Army’s rotary wing fleet since the formation of
Army’s aviation capability. By the late 1960s, the Sioux was reaching the end of its operational
life and a decision was taken to re-equip with Bell 206B-1 helicopters. The first Bells arrived in
Australia in 1972. The turbine engine helicopter was similar to the OH56-A Kiowa aircraft that had
been leased from the US Army and operated very successfully by 161 (Indep) Recce flight in South
Vietnam, and gave excellent service to Army across this period. By the mid-1970s, Army procured
the GAF N-22 Nomad – a twin turbine Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft to fulfil Army’s
liaison and light transport support requirements. With the withdrawal of the Sioux and the Cessna
180 in 1975, the all turbine Army fleet consisted of the Kiowa, the fixed-wing Pilatus Porter and the
Nomad.
In 1972, under command of the new Training Command (Army), the School of Army Aviation was
formed from the Training Squadron, 1 Aviation Regiment. The unit remained at Amberley whilst
infrastructure was completed at the Army Aviation Centre, Oakey. Such was the haste to move
into the new location, 1 Aviation Regiment was housed in temporary accommodation at Oakey
while the permanent facilities were being constructed. By this time Army aviation had a flight in
Singapore, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Sydney, as well as a detachment at Townsville.
The Townsville detachment eventually evolved into 162 Recce Squadron, after having been
first upgraded to a flight. The flight in Singapore returned to Australia at the end of 1972 and
was disbanded, and shortly thereafter, sub-unit titles in 1 Aviation Regiment were changed to
squadrons.
With the withdrawal of 161 Flight from South Vietnam in March 1972, the focus for aviation support
changed to training and supporting survey operations. These latter operations were conducted
in Indonesia on Sumatra and (then) Irian Jaya, in PNG and on the Australian mainland, and
provided challenging flying conditions and valuable experience. Growth, however, slowed; the
original number of Kiowas ordered was significantly reduced and plans to raise a new squadron at
Puckapunyal shelved. 161 Recce Squadron in Sydney occupied a new purpose-designed airfield
at Holsworthy in 1973, while 1 Aviation Regiment continued to occupy temporary buildings on the
airfield at Oakey, known colloquially as ‘Silver City’.
In 1975, 183 Recce Squadron was withdrawn from PNG and disbanded, and for the first time in a
decade, Army aviation had no permanent deployments overseas.
In response to rebel activity on Vanuatu in 1980, two Pilatus Porters and supporting ground crew
self-deployed to the island group and conducted operational electronic warfare missions in support
of the national government. This was the first time since the Vietnam War that Army aircraft had
been deployed on an operational task. On 20 November 1986, the Chiefs of Staff Committee sitting in Canberra took the decision to
transfer to Army the ownership of the battlefield helicopter fleet then operated by the RAAF. This
meant that the Black Hawk helicopters, then about to be introduced into service to replace the
Iroquois would be owned and operated by Army. The Hueys had been operated by RAAF since
their introduction in 1962. Their role was an entirely land force support capability, and for some
years there had been a strong argument that any replacement aircraft should become part of the
Army. The essence of this argument was that battlefield aircraft should be owned, maintained
and operated by Army. This decision heralded another major growth period for Army aviation. The
medium lift Chinook helicopter fleet continued to be operated by the RAAF.
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Exactly one year after the Committee’s decision, a new regiment – 5 Aviation Regiment – was
raised onto the Army’s Order of Battle, and the first fourteen personnel commenced raising the unit
at RAAF Townsville in January 1988. The transfer plan moved 9 Squadron, RAAF, from Amberley
to Townsville where it was disbanded to become A Squadron of 5 Aviation Regiment, while the
rotary wing element of 35 Squadron (already in Townsville), disbanded one year later and become
B Squadron. During this period, the Black Hawks were delivered to 5 Aviation Regiment for
conversion and operational training for both RAAF and Army aircrew.
In early 1990, the ADF Helicopter School was raised at RAAF Fairbairn, based on the training flight
of 5 Squadron, RAAF, which had closed down. Despite its name, the ADF Helicopter School was
actually an Army unit, although the first Commanding Officer was a RAAF officer and the staff and
instructors included personnel from all three services. The role of the ADF Helicopter School was to
conduct initial rotary wing training after which students would be awarded their Army Flying Badge
(wings) and continue their operational training with the School of Army Aviation at Oakey on to
Kiowa, Iroquois or Black Hawk helicopters (in 1991).
The addition of the Eurocopter AS350B Squirrel to the Army fleet brought to six the number of
types in service, allowing Army aviation to undertake a range of capabilities for training, domestic
and operation use.
By the end of 1990, 5 Aviation Regiment was close to its final planned shape and size with B
Squadron raised and most of the Black Hawks delivered to Townsville. A significant proportion of
the Regiment was still RAAF personnel, although the Army strength was increasing. In early 1991,
Black Hawk training was transferred from the Regiment to the School of Army Aviation at Oakey
along with six aircraft. Aerial Fire Support (AFS) Troop, using the Bell UH-1H Iroquois Bushranger
gunships, were retained by 5 Aviation Regiment while the remainder of the ADF’s Huey fleet was
moved to 171 Command and Liaison Squadron, 1 Aviation Regiment, Oakey. The Bushrangers
remained at 5 Aviation Regiment for four more years, when they were finally all moved as a unit to
171 Squadron.
In 1990, the decision was taken to re-equip 171 Squadron, a sub-unit of 1 Aviation Regiment,
with UH-1H Iroquois. This had the concomitant effect of retaining the Hueys in service longer
than had been anticipated. It proved to be a prescient decision because soon after, Army Hueys
were deployed by CI30 to the Solomon Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu to conduct relief operations
following cyclones, and to search for and recover victims from crashed civil aircraft.
In October 1992, after twenty five years of sterling service, the Pilatus Porter was withdrawn from
service, leaving the Nomad as the only remaining fixed wing in the Army. At the same time, N24
Nomads (a stretched variant of the aircraft), were introduced. Their service, however, was shortlived following two fatal accidents – one RAAF and one Army. All Nomads were subsequently
withdrawn from ADF service in 1995 leaving Army with no integral fixed wing support for the
first time since 1960. As a replacement measure, a decision was taken to lease civilian Embraer
Bandierantes while fixed wing options alternatives were considered. By the mid-1990s, Army was
struggling to find a doctrinally significant role for fixed wing aircraft.
Throughout this early period of operations, aircraft from both regiments and the schools were
heavily involved in many humanitarian operations within Australia, from the major floods in southwest Queensland in 1991 to the Sydney bushfires of 1994, and many offshore maritime rescues.
All of these varied tasks gave Army crews the experience that would be invaluable over the next
few years as the operational tempo of the ADF rose to a very high level.
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In 1993, the Black Hawks at 5 Aviation Regiment were deployed on their first operational mission.
As a portent of things to come, a troop of six aircraft were sent at very short notice to support
the UN Mission in Cambodia overseeing and providing security for the first free elections in that
country. The Black Hawks were painted white with UN markings before deployment and were
used to deliver and recover ballot boxes in remote and insecure areas. This short deployment was
followed in 1994 by five Black Hawks being sent to Bougainville in PNG to provide support to the
peace process.
In 1989 in a Joint decision, the RAAF withdrew the Chinooks from service. The Chinooks had been
exempt from the transfer of battlefield helicopters that had resulted from the raising of 5 Aviation
Regiment. Purchased towards the end of the Vietnam War, the CH47C Chinooks were very
expensive to maintain and operate and of the original 12 acquired, only six remained in service,
with the rest in storage. The removal of their medium lift capability was the obvious choice for
a financially stringent Air Force in the late 1980s with the Army determining that the new Black
Hawks were adequate for its airlift requirements. However, subsequent assessments indicated that
the absence of the Chinook capability presented a major problem for Army as the Chinooks were
crucial to supporting Black Hawk operations; particularly for the movement of fuel. Not long after
they withdrawn, staff work commenced in the Army and RAAF to find a way to get the Chinook
back into service.
It was proposed to ‘trade-in’ the eleven remaining C model Chinooks (one had been lost in an
accident) to the United States Army who were short of Chinook hulls. All eleven would pass
through a re-manufacturing process to bring them up to CH47D specifications and four would be
returned to Australia to be operated by the Army. The project was hugely successful and the first of
the ‘new’ CH47D Chinooks entered service with the newly raised C Squadron, 5 Aviation Regiment
in 1995. That same year 161 Recce Squadron of 1 Aviation Regiment redeployed from Holsworthy
to RAAF Base Darwin to continue the support of 1st Brigade that was progressively moving up to
the new Robertson Barracks just south of Darwin.
By late 1994, Black Hawk availability had significantly reduced due to flying rates outstripping
available logistic support. In mid-1995 a decision was taken to establish an Army aviation joint
support project team, who recommended the establishment of Headquarters Aviation Support
Group to be based at Oakey. This headquarters was responsible for managing operational
airworthiness for Army aviation as well as co-ordinating the logistic and engineering support of
Army aircraft. The headquarters was formed in early 1996. Headquarters Aviation Support Group
set about rationalising the logistic support of Army aviation and providing clear lines of authority
and responsibility. Black Hawk availability began to recover and additional resources flowed to the
capability.
Late in 1996, with the future of a more permanent Army fixed wing capability still to be determined
by Government, the Bandierantes were replaced with a mix of B200 King Air and De Havilland
Canada Twin Otters, also leased. At this time, Army operated seven types of aircraft (five rotary
wing, two fixed wing) and had more than 100 aircraft in the fleet.
On 12 June 1996, two Black Hawks from 5 Aviation Regiment collided mid-air over the High
Range Training Area near Townsville. The aircraft were conducting counter-terrorism training
with members of the Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment at the time. Eighteen servicemen were
killed, including three crew from one of the helicopters. Many others were injured, some seriously.
A lengthy investigation process followed which resulted in a number of changes to aircraft
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configuration (primarily the fitment of cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders), procedures
and practices. Additionally, this accident ensured that the flying safety and conduct of support to
special forces received the attention it required, and led, some years later, to the formation of 6
Aviation Regiment to conduct special operations support.
In November 1997, three Black Hawks and two Chinooks from 5 Aviation Regiment were deployed
to PNG to provide drought relief distributing food and supplies to starving villagers, particularly in
the highlands. The deployment continued for five months, but, as they were withdrawn from PNG,
a further three Black Hawks were deployed to Irian Jaya on a similar mission. They remained in
country until July 1998.
Meanwhile in May 1998, four UH1-H Iroquois were deployed to Bougainville as part of the multinational peace monitoring force under Operation BEL ISI. These aircraft from 1 Aviation Regiment
were painted red to identify their special role and remained on Bougainville until August 2001. King
Air aircraft from the Regiment often supported the Chinook operations in-country.
The same year, the Army Aviation Training Centre (AAvnTC) was formed at Oakey. Bringing
together the School of Army Aviation, the ADF Helicopter School and the RAEME (later Rotary
wing) Aircraft Maintenance School, AAvnTC was commanded by a Colonel. The ADF Helicopter
School was re-titled the Army Helicopter School.
The UN-sanctioned referendum in East Timor in September 1999 led to violence and a requirement
for a UN-authorised peacekeeping force led by Australia to intervene. As part of that force, Kiowas
from 1 Aviation Regiment and Black Hawks from 5 Aviation Regiment were among the first forces
to deploy. For the Kiowas, this was their first operational deployment, having been in the Army
since 1971. The aircraft was already well past its first planned withdrawal date (1990) and the
extended one (1995) by the time it saw active service.
The operational tempo from the Timor deployment required multiple sub-unit deployments from
both 1 and 5 Aviation Regiments, with additional responsibility for helicopter support to special
forces when required. The new century was to ask even more of Army aviation.
On 1 January 2000, Australian Army aviation was heavily engaged in operations supporting the
Australian led International Force in East Timor. Black Hawks from 5 Aviation Regiment, and
Kiowas and B200 King Air fixed wing craft from 1 Aviation Regiment provided invaluable airmobile,
reconnaissance, medivac and liaison support to operations to stabilise the situation in the troubled
area. It was not the only operation on the horizon, however, as the Olympic Games in Sydney
required a sizeable contingent of rotary and fixed wing assets from both regiments under Operation
GOLD. A key component was the Black Hawk support to the counter-terrorist capability provided
by A Squadron, 5 Aviation Regiment. Army aviation’s operational commitment was such that all
four squadrons of 1 Aviation Regiment had aircraft and personnel deployed on three separate
operations at the same time; Timor, Bougainville and the Olympic Games. The establishment of
a Commander, Divisional Aviation, and staff in Headquarters 1st Division was an important step
in providing technical and operational command and control for both domestic and deployed
operations.
In 2001, the Army Helicopter School was moved from RAAF Fairbairn to Oakey. The Army
Helicopter School had been under command AAvnTC for some years, and the logical progression
was to move its personnel and aircraft to Oakey. With this move, all Army pilot training, with the
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exception of an initial period of fixed wing training at Tamworth and special Chinook training, was
concentrated at Oakey. The 1 Aviation Regiment Iroquois from Operation BEL ISI were withdrawn
from Bougainville in August 2001, but at the same time the regiment deployed an aircraft to
Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean to support the military elements of the MV Tampa crisis.
The aircraft remained on station until the crisis was resolved, returning to Oakey in early
September. This deployment set a new record for the Regiment, with the aircraft being broken
down for transport by C-130 in less than two hours, and returned to flying condition on Christmas
Island in less than two hours after delivery. 171 Squadron’s experience in rotating aircraft for
Operation BEL ISI was paramount in this effort, and was proof that operational experience
sharpened the already professional crews and engineers of the Corps.
In late 2001 it was announced that the Eurocopter Tiger had been selected as the Army’s armed
reconnaissance helicopter, effectively replacing the Kiowa and the UH-1H Bushranger gunships.
Twenty two Tigers were ordered with deliveries commencing in 2004.
The command and control of Army aviation was fundamentally re-organised on 2 April 2002 when
Headquarters 16 Brigade (Aviation) was raised at Enoggera, Queensland. Formed from the Aviation
Support Group and the Commander Divisional Aviation staff, the new headquarters provided unity
of command for all operational aviation units, while providing aviation technical control for both
training and operational units. The name of the headquarters was later changed to 16 Aviation
Brigade.
As part of the Australian contribution to a coalition invasion of Iraq in 2003, three Chinooks from
C Squadron, 5 Aviation Regiment deployed to support Australia’s special forces contingent in the
west of the country. It was the first time since the Vietnam War that Army aviation assets had been
committed to a high intensity conflict.
Australian army pilots on exchange with US units had been serving in Afghanistan since 2001, and
continued to do so with US and UK units in Iraq and Afghanistan throughout the conflicts, some
earning foreign awards in the process. In 2004, during a tour with a UK Army Air Corps unit flying
Lynx helicopters, (then) Captain Scott Watkins was awarded the UK Distinguished Flying Cross
when he successfully recovered his aircraft after it had been engaged by ground fire. His co-pilot
was seriously wounded in the action.
In mid-2003, trouble erupted in the Solomon Islands requiring the deployment of four Iroquois from
1 Aviation Regiment to support the infantry battalion group’s stability operation. The detachment
was part of an Anzac combined unit under the operational control of 3 Squadron, Royal New
Zealand Air Force, providing important operational and logistic support to the force around the
islands. The detachment was withdrawn in October 2003. At the same time, Army aviation again
provided domestic support to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) held in
Queensland.
In 2004, the first two Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters (ARH) were delivered to Army at a
ceremony in Oakey. The presence of two mounted soldiers in light horse uniforms served to both
link the event with the past and emphasise the new armed cavalry role for Army aviation. At the
same ceremony a major re-organisation of the units of Army aviation was announced with the
move of Iroquois from 1 Aviation Regiment at Oakey to 5 Aviation Regiment in Townsville, and the
separation of both the counter-terrorist and the fixed wing capabilities from the regiments to the
direct command of the brigade headquarters. As well as the Tiger being on display, it was the first
public viewing of the King Air B350 in Army colours, replacing the less capable King Air B200.
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In August of 2004, the government announced that the NH Industries MRH-90 had been selected
to replace the Black Hawk and Iroquois fleets. The first announcement was for an initial buy of
12 helicopters for a squadron in 5 Aviation Regiment, but subsequent announcements increased
the numbers to 46 with six of those going to the Navy. The first aircraft were delivered in 2007,
however, subsequent deliveries have been delayed.
On Boxing Day 2004, a major earthquake struck the eastern Indian Ocean. The resulting tsunami
devastated wide areas of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and many Indian Ocean islands.
As part of the international humanitarian relief effort, a detachment of four Iroquois from 1 Aviation
Regiment was sent to the Aceh region of Indonesia where the death toll from the disaster was
estimated to be 120,000. The detachment provided critical support in extremely harsh conditions
flying food, water, clothing and emergency shelters to the dispersed villages hardest hit.
The humanitarian deployment in 2004 served as a forerunner to another overseas natural disaster
less than a year later. In October 2005, in north eastern Pakistan, an earthquake measuring 7.4 on
the Richter scale caused widespread damage and claimed the lives of 73,000 people. With major
infrastructure and communications damage, the humanitarian relief challenge was well beyond
Pakistan’s resources, and again a major international effort was mounted. Australia’s contribution
was a medical team supported by four Black Hawks from 5 Aviation Regiment. The aircraft
conducted search and rescue missions, medivac, logistic supply and the movement of medical
teams as well as VIP transit services. Over the five month deployment, the detachment ferried over
2500 passengers, 181 tonnes of food, 68 tonnes of general cargo and more than 100 VIPs.
In 2006, the Army deployed two Chinooks to Afghanistan to provide support to the coalition forces
in the southern part of the country. The aircraft had been heavily modified by the addition of ballistic
armour and mini-guns. In May, 2011, one of the Chinooks on an operational mission crashed and
Lieutenant Marcus Case was killed. Lieutenant Case was an Army pilot on detachment with the
Heron UAV section.
The CH-47D Chinooks were deployed on Operation SLIPPER in Afghanistan and operated out
of Camp Baker, named for Corporal Mick Baker, a crewman killed in the 1996 Black Hawk crash.
They performed outstanding service for both ADF and ISAF forces and were in high demand
across Afghanistan due to its superior performance in hot and high altitude conditions. Additionally,
Australian Chinooks have led many multi-national missions due to the Australian specification’s
extended avionics fit, and the experience of multiple tour aircraft captains. The eleventh, and final,
deployment of Chinooks to Afghanistan was completed on 14 September 2013. In June last year,
all six of the regiment’s Chinooks flew together for the first time in 19 years.
The operational commitment in Timor Leste (formerly East Timor), was gradually reduced as the
decade advanced, but in 2006 ramped up again when large scale unrest rocked the new country.
As a result, additional troops along with additional Black Hawks and Kiowa were redeployed to
provide aviation support. The Kiowa were finally withdrawn in 2008, but a detachment of Black
Hawks remained in country until the end of 2012.
2006 also saw another operational deployment domestically to provide support to the
Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and overseas when a Black Hawk detachment was
embarked on HMAS Kanimbla in response to unrest in Fiji. Sadly, on this deployment, a Black
Hawk crashed while conducting an approach to the ship and two people, including the pilot,
Captain Mark Bingley, were killed.
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In 2006 a disbandment parade was held at Oakey for the last independent RAEME Workshop.
Originally formed in 1972 at Amberley as the 5th Base Workshop, the unit moved to Oakey in
1973 and underwent many name changes – through 5 Base Workshop Battalion, Oakey
Workshop Battalion, Oakey Logistics Battalion and finally Aviation Support Group Workshop.
Throughout, the workshop provided operational support to the School of Army Aviation and
subsequently the Army Aviation Training Centre and some deeper level maintenance for the rest
of the Army fleet. ‘5 Base’, as it was affectionately known, was an integral part of Army’s aviation
capability for many years, but became redundant as greater commercial maintenance support and
training was introduced.
In 2007 a number of structural changes were made to Army aviation capability. 1 Aviation
Regiment was consolidated in new facilities at Robertson Barracks near Darwin, and eagerly
awaited the arrival of the Tiger. A new regiment, 6 Aviation Regiment, was raised by placing the
two independent squadrons, 171 and 173, under a regimental headquarters and locating the
former at Holsworthy, near Sydney, in facilities built on the airfield vacated by 161 Recce Squadron
in 1995. The role of 6 Aviation Regiment was to provide counter-terrorist and fixed wing support to
the Army.
In October 2007, Army finally bid farewell to the ubiquitous Huey. Having served in all three
services, the UH-1 Iroquois provided stout service to the ADF across all environments. First
introduced into RAAF service in 1962, Hueys saw operational service in Vietnam, the Middle East,
Bougainville and The Solomon Islands, as well as survey deployments in PNG and Indonesia, and
humanitarian work in numerous domestic and regional locations. The Huey served in Army colours
for 17 years and is remembered with great affection by all those who flew or maintained them.
2007 also saw the first guidon presentations to Army aviation regiments. In November, on a parade
to mark the 20th anniversary of the unit, the Governor General presented a regimental guidon
to 5 Aviation Regiment. On the same parade the Governor General announced the approval
the award of the Unit Meritorious Citation to the regiment in recognition of sustained operational
performances in Timor Leste and Afghanistan.
In July the following year, 1 Aviation Regiment received its regimental guidon from the Governor
General at a parade at Robertson Barracks. The first contingent of Tiger helicopters had arrived in
the unit the week prior and the aircraft made a welcome addition to the ceremonial occasion. July
also marked the 40th anniversary of the formation of the Australian Army Aviation Corps, and the
guidon presentation and anniversary were celebrated with the annual corps dinner held in Darwin
for the first time.
While operational deployments in Afghanistan and Timor Leste continued through to the end of the
decade, there was still room for more changes in Army aviation. After agitation in 2007 to reassign
all fixed wing assets to Air Force, by the end of 2009, the Army lost this capability when the
King Air B 350s were transferred to the RAAF. For close on 50 years Army had owned or leased
integral fixed wing aircraft which had served on operations in Vietnam, Vanuatu and Timor Leste,
conducted surveys across Australia, in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea and seen Army fixed
wing pilots operate as far away as Antarctica.
Since 2010, Army aviation has consisted of an all-rotary wing capability. This change, and the
delays in the introduction of both the Tiger and MRH-90, saw the retention of the Kiowas and their
move to 173 Squadron in 6 Aviation Regiment to provide useful training for the increasing number
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of graduate pilots unable to undertake operational conversions on the delayed aircraft.
The Kiowa had already passed 40 years in Australian Army service and is currently more than
22 years beyond its original planned withdrawal date, showing both the longevity of the design
and the skill of the crews and engineers to keep it flying and central to aviation capability and
training. It also shows the difficulties in introducing new technologically advanced military
capabilities into service.
As the first decade of the 21st century drew to a close, the Governor General presented a
regimental guidon to 6 Aviation Regiment. To the great pride of the Corps, the 2010 annual corps
dinner in Holsworthy displayed the three Army aviation guidons for the first time. These guidons
reflected the enormous contribution the Corps had made to more than a decade’s worth of
deployments and domestic operations, while balancing the challenges of a major reorganisation
and the introduction of two new types of aircraft into service.
Since the end of deployments to Timor Leste and Afghanistan, Army aviation is in its most relaxed
tempo for over two decades. This posture has allowed the capacity to review and re-asses the
Corps’ contribution to Army’s capability and plan for the future. The introduction of advanced
aircraft types in the Tiger and the MRH-90 have not been without problems, and the requirement
remains to learn on the job.
While the Black Hawk is due to be withdrawn from service, it would seem that their final flight is
some time away. 173 Aviation Squadron, part of 6 Aviation Regiment in Holsworthy, converted to
Black Hawk in 2013 and returned its remaining Kiowas to AAvnTC at Oakey.
The CH-47D Chinook aircraft has been an extremely capable workhorse since entering ADF
service in 1995. The CH-47D Chinook undertakes the medium-lift utility role with great versatility,
including troop movement, battlefield equipment transport, search and rescue and disaster relief
roles. The purchase of two additional CH-47D model Chinooks in 2011 reduced pressure on the
aircraft for training, and to replace losses in Afghanistan. This procurement ensures the continued
utility of Chinooks on overseas operations, domestically through Defence Assistance to the Civil
Community, and in training and sustainment of aircrews. Beginning in 2016, CH-47F models will
replace the ageing ‘D’ models, and new and exciting doctrinal and operational challenges continue
to be met, particularly with the introduction into Navy of the Landing Helicopter Dock HMAS
Canberra. The seemingly evergreen Kiowa continues to defy the odds by remaining in service. Like
the Huey, it has created a niche in capability that does not seem to be filled by any other aircraft in
the same way or for the same cost.
With the completion of the Tiger build and delivery process, the 1st Aviation Regiment received its
final aircraft in early 2014. Development of personnel, doctrine and management systems for the
Tiger have moved forward with 161 Recce Squadron being made fully operational in December
of 2014, and 162 Recce Squadron’s manning and aircraft allocated in July 2014. It is planned to
reach operational status in 2016. The Tiger represents an enormous leap in technology for both
the Army’s aviation capability and the ADF in general. The aircraft’s ability to manage and engage
multiple targets, digital communication and weapons including guided missiles, unguided rockets
and 30mm cannon is impressive, and the continued development of this capability holds much
promise for the ADF as a regional deterrent and deployable capability.
The Australian Army’s aviation capability has come a long way from humble beginnings in
the 1950s with leased aircraft and small number of staff. It has evolved into a large, agile and
operationally diverse organisation that is serving, and will continue to serve, the nation in times of
natural disaster at home and operationally overseas.
www.army.gov.au
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