Taipans, Tigers, Chinooks on operation in Townsville
ARMY aviators are ready to respond to national security threats and natural disasters at short notice, thanks to tactical assault training happening in Townsville.
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ARMY aviators are ready to respond to national security threats and natural disasters at short notice, thanks to tactical assault training happening in Townsville.
Troops and aircraft have descended on the region with Chinooks, Taipans and Tigers taking to the air for day and night operations, as part of Exercise Vigilant Scimitar.
5th Aviation Regiment Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Martin said incorporating the Tigers, which are based at the 1st Aviation Regiment in Darwin was crucial to combat performance.
“We don’t fight in combat as a single aircraft type we fight together so it’s about training the way we fight,” LTCOL Martin said.
“We’re conducting Air Assault missions, attack missions and recovery missions.
“The key thing with this exercise is the opportunity to plan, and to integrate together.”
Consisting of more than 600 personnel, and approximately 20 helicopters, the major exercise will continue until the end of next week.
As a result of the major exercise, LTCOL Martin said the Army’s aviation capabilities were ready to respond to any security threats or natural disasters at short notice.
“We’ve got two task units ready to deploy,” he said.
“A Chinook task unit and a Taipan task unit, similar to what we did for bushfire assist at the start of the year.
“They’re ready to go on fairly short readiness for either domestic disaster response or regional response options if the government decides to send us.”
Originally published as Taipans, Tigers, Chinooks on operation in Townsville
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