Behind the scenes of Qld’s biggest annual war fighting exercise

Simulated chemical, biological, nuclear, radiological and missile attacks are just part of the 7th Brigade’s massive war fighting exercise that takes a whole year to plan.

A war has broken out in the (fictional) country of Belesia with an attack from the People’s Republic of Olvana as part of the 7th Brigade’s war fighting Exercise Diamond Run.

Some 1,500 brave men and women are defending Belesia from simulated attacks, including chemical, biological, nuclear, radiological and missile explosions at Raspberry Creek Village.

Smoke in missile attack at Raspberry Village

This has the potential to be worse than World War III. For those involved, it is the worst case imaginable.

Welcome to Exercise Diamond Run, the biggest annual war fighting exercise for Brisbane’s 7th Brigade.

With 12 months preparation time, it’s fair to say an exercise of this calibre is not planned lightly.

We’ve gone inside the exercise to reveal what goes on behind the scenes.

A fictional war, in a fictional world constructed by a US-led training system called Decisive Action Training Environment has erupted in Shoalwater Bay, about an hour’s drive from Rockhampton.

You don’t want to be a local at Raspberry Creek Village – a built up area in the ADF’s 454,000ha training facility in Shoalwater Bay, which becomes infiltrated using flares, riffles and missiles.

A chemical gas war which requires soldiers to put their mask on in as little as five seconds as well as a separate missile, drone attack on the village, otherwise known as the Urban Operations Training Facility, was fought on August 19 and 20 as part of the exercise.

The fictional elements of the exercise were designed to allow the countries to (sometimes) mirror real countries without causing diplomatic problems.

Meanwhile, news stories on the war created for the exercise showcase just how severely the People’s Republic of Olvana has infiltrated.

Combat Training Centre Commander Colonel Ben McLennan said Shoalwater Bay was a unique training area, and unique part of Australia.

“We often bring army teams together, very short notice for crises, for combat, and so we need to practice people’s ability to build trusting relationships really quickly, not just outside of the Army,” he said.

“Plan Anzac is playing out here for the participation of New Zealand Army personnel.”

Australian Army Combat Training Centre Commander Colonel Ben McLennan

Cdr McLennan said they also had representatives from France and the United States.

“This is all about learning. We’re trying to create a very precious and precarious environment. Some activities for 150 people, other activities for 10,000 people,” he said.

Cdr McLennan said they worked with Rockhampton Shire and Livingston Shire as partners for the exercise.

“About 12 months ago, we started planning this and beginning our partnership with the key commanders involved in this activity, building trust with them, working out their objectives.”

Cdr McLennan said they constructed these activities a “very scientific way to maximise the learning potential”.

“Learning potential, which, as I said, is a precious thing that’s also so easily sabotaged by ourselves, by our teams, by our human properties, before the bias, logical fallacy, complacency and fear and all those combined with our entrenched mental models sabotage learning opportunities when people are under pressure.”

Raspberry Creek Village.