DFSW rain down rounds at High Range in live fire preparation

Two soldiers from the 1st Battalion Direct Fire Support Weapons platoon have shared why they believe their support company is the best as they prepare for a large live fire exercise.

Australian Army soldiers Private Matthew Lugton and Private Ethan MacKinnon from 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, Direct Fire Support Weapons Platoon during Exercise Brolga Run, on 01 June 2024, at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Photo: TPR Dana Millington

While Exercise Brolga Run entered its last few days of training, the 1RAR Direct Fire Support Weapons (DFSW) Platoon set up their camp overlooking the picturesque landscape of high range, quickly puncturing the peaceful air as they rained down rounds upon rounds on targets kilometres away.

DFSW has been testing their capabilities at high range this week as they prepare for a large scale live fire exercise this weekend.

Two soldiers who are experiencing their first year at support company are Private Matthew Lugton and Private Ethan Mackinnon who both expressed that being a part of the DFSW platoon had been the highlight of their Army careers so far.

“Everything I’ve done in the Army so far has genuinely been the best thing I’ve done consecutively, DFSW being the best,” Mr Mackinnon said.

“It’s been amazing, there’s nowhere else I would rather be.”

Australian Army soldiers Private Matthew Lugton and Private Ethan MacKinnon from 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, Direct Fire Support Weapons Platoon during Exercise Brolga Run, on 01 June 2024, at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Photo: TPR Dana Millington

Both soldiers decided to enlist due to family member’s previous service, with Mr Lugton carrying on his fathers legacy as an infantry soldier.

“I joined straight out of school, I graduated in 2018 and pretty much at the end of that year I enlisted,” he said.

“My Dad is ex-Army, he served 19 years … he deployed to Afghanistan and Timor so he has a few tours under his belt.”

“He was stoked when I joined.”

For Mr Mackinnon it was his brother’s advice to do a gap year in the Army which made him take the leap into the Defence Forces from his previous roles as a labourer and bartender.

“My brother was an intelligence analyst at 2RAR and he did his four years and then got out and I always looked up to him and so I wanted to follow in my brother’s footsteps,” he said.

Despite his gap year ending in January 2023, Mr Mackinnon decided to continue his Defence Force career after wanting to experience more of what the Army could provide him.

Australian Army soldiers Private Matthew Lugton and Private Ethan MacKinnon from 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, Direct Fire Support Weapons Platoon during Exercise Brolga Run, on 01 June 2024, at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Photo: TPR Dana Millington

“I feel like I have a lot to learn and a lot to give into it. I feel like if I had left early, it would just seem too premature and that I would have left so much behind that I could learn and build from.”

The pair said they considered themselves lucky to be chosen to join the DFSW platoon after completing the gruelling eight week course, due to the large impact that the support company has in warfare.

“In all phases of war they need the ability to deploy anti-armour capabilities, to kill tanks,” Mr Mackinnon said.

“The weapons that we use are such a disproportionately higher amount of firepower than any other platoon and we have so many different weapons.”

On any given day they are able to use a range of weapons including MAG 58s, .50 cal machine guns, Javelin missile launchers, 84mm Carl Gustav recoilless rifles and Mk47 automatic grenade launchers.

“I definitely like the environment of DFSW the most … you just have that independence and all the boys really get around each other,” Mr Lugton said.

“We just have such a large impact compared to other support platoons. Anywhere from Recon or Mortars, we can pretty much lay a lot more fire power.”

Originally published as DFSW rain down rounds at High Range in live fire preparation