Australian Amphibious Force take over Cowley Beach for Wet and Dry Environmental Rehearsals

Army, Air Force and Navy come together for Australian Amphibious Force training exercise in North Queensland. See the pictures.

Members of the Australian Amphibious Force launch an LHD Landing Craft from the well deck of HMAS Adelaide during Wet and Dry Environment Rehearsals at Cowley Beach Training Area. Picture: Corporal Michael Rogers

The Australian Amphibious Force (AAF) which includes elements from Townsville has conducted Wet and Dry Environmental Rehearsals (WADER) certification at Cowley Beach.

AAF is comprised of naval, small boats, infantry, armoured vehicles, artillery, aviation and logistic elements from across Army, Navy and Air Force.

A member of the Australian Amphibious Force assists in refuelling an MH-60R Seahawk during Wet and Dry Environment Rehearsals at Cowley Beach Training Area. Photo: CPL Michael Rogers

Last week HMAS Adelaide stopped in Townsville to board soldiers from 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, 2nd Calvary Regiment, 4th Field Regiment, Chinooks from 5th Aviation and also a contingent of US Marines for the amphibious exercise at the Cowley Beach Training Area 240km north from Jun 13 -19.

Soldiers from the Australian Amphibious Force use an M88 Recovery Vehicle to drive an M1A1 Abrams onto a MEXEFLOTE in a recovery scenario, off the coast of North Queensland as part of the Wet and Dry Environmental Rehearsals. Picture: Defence Media

The WADER exercise was run under the watchful and evaluative eye of Major General Ash Collingburn Commander of the Headquarters 1st (Australian) Division which is in command of the Australian Amphibious Force.

Soldiers, sailors and aviators from the Australian Amphibious Force disembark an LHD Landing Craft at Cowley Beach, QLD, as part of the Wet and Dry Environmental Rehearsals. Picture: Captain Annie Richardson

The Major General said the exercise was performed to rehearse the entire military amphibious system.

“What you see in effect is a real tangible demonstration of Australia’s focused and integrated force,” he said.

Soldiers from the Australian Amphibious Force conduct an Assault Route rehearsal by night on the Helicopter Landing Dock of HMAS Adelaide during Wet and Dry Environmental Rehearsals. Picture: Captain Annie Richardson

“It’s one of our government’s tools to project forces offshore. So project Australian military power offshore, but also the AFT is capable of operating across the spectrum of conflict.

“So on the left hand side, you’ve got humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operations, and then at the right end of the spectrum, you have planned warfighting, or large scale combat operations, which for an amphibious force would look like Joint Forcible Entry operations.

A CH-47 Chinook lifts an M777 howitzer from the Australian Amphibious Force during Wet and Dry Environmental Rehearsals off the coast of North Queensland. Picture: Corporal Michael Rogers

Major General Collingburn said he was impressed with the rehearsal progress.

“I’ve seen great ingenuity from our people, throughout the WADER exercise that performed so well that we’re actually leaning forward now into for mission profile rehearsals.

Soldiers from the Australian Amphibious Force travel to a Beach Landing Site off Cowley Beach in an LHD Landing Craft as part of the Wet and Dry Environmental Rehearsals. Photo: CAPT Annie Richardson

“The whole purpose of the WADER is to integrate, train and certify.

“So integration is taking elements from across the integrated force, from Navy, Army, and from Air Force, putting them on that L Plus ship, HMS Adelaide (Landing Helicopter Dock ship).

“Then making the amphibious system work together so that you’re conducting air operations off the flight deck, you conducting ship to objective manoeuvre out of the back of the LHD.

“And ultimately, you’re putting troops ashore to achieve Australia’s national interests, whatever that may be.

“I think this is a great demonstration of Australia’s focused, integrated force. It is all services working together across all five domains. And this is a really tangible demonstration of that.”

Originally published as Australian Amphibious Force take over Cowley Beach for Wet and Dry Environmental Rehearsals