Operation Cenderawasih

The survey has been conducted jointly by the Army’s 2 Field Squadron and 173 General Support Squadron and the Indonesian Survey Corps, JANTOP (Jawatan Topographic). The RAAF has undertaken high-altitude aerial photography and provided logistic support and the RAN’s Landing Craft Heavy (LCHs) have been used also to position stores and fuel.

The base for the survey is Biak, a town with a good military airstrip on the island of the same name about 100 kilometres from the lrian Jaya mainland.

Before the Australians pulled out at the end of October at the onset of the wet season, the maximum number at Biak was around 140 Army and RAAF personnel. The aircraft operating included the photo reconnaissance A-84 Canberra aircraft from No. 2 Squadron, Iroquois helicopters from No. 9 Squadron, Caribou transport aircraft from No. 38 Squadron and C130 Hercules transport aircraft from No. 36 and No. 37 Squadrons.

In this rugged terrain, four separate operations are necessary to compile a topographic map.

Initially, mapping photography is carried out by 2 Squadron RAAF using RC10 cameras.

Secondly, geoceivers are used to fix accurate positions. American-designed and produced, this equipment has revolutionised surveying. Costing more than $90,000 apiece, the machines are able to utilise information transmitted from navigation satellites, and make it possible to pinpoint a posi­ tion within one-and-a-half metres on the earth’s surface.

The squadron is equipped with six geoceivers, enabling five to be used continuously in the field at any one time.

Surveying lrian Jaya would have been almost impossible by traditional methods. The geoceivers enable surveyors to pinpoint their position without reference to any other known point. Altogether, 128 survey points are used throughout lrian Jaya by Army survey teams.

Thirdly, a “Queenair” is used to measure the height of terrain on set tracks. It carries laser height-measuring equip­ment (aerial profile-recorder) designed and built by Australia’s Weapon Research Establishment.

Finally, an Army Pilatus Porter aircraft supplements photos taken by Canberra aircraft to establish the exact spot where the geoceiver points are located.

Information is collected in Jakarta and survey es­tablishments in Australia before the maps are finally printed at Bendigo, Victoria.

For the RAAF, keeping up the fuel supplies is one of the biggest problems of operating under these conditions. For example, a helicopter needs two 44-gallon drums of fuel for one hour’s operation. Caribou aircraft constantly resupply forward areas but their maximum load of 10 drums still only gives an Iroquois five hours’ flying time.

Flying is dangerous with no navigation or approach aids, rough terrain and rapidly changing cloud coverage. In July, the crash of a helicopter in the Balien Valley resulted in the loss of one crewman and four others being seriously injured.

There are other examples of both Army and Air Force members working in perilous situations.

During one mission south of Enoratali, Flying Officer John Evans was forced to land his helicopter on an island in a river because the valley he was flying in closed up with poor visibility. During the night heavy rain caused a rapid rise in the river, putting the helicopter and occupants in danger of being washed away.

Flying Officer Evans and Sergeant Peter Jensen tried to cross the river by rope to prepare a landing area on higher ground. Flying Officer Evans was washed away and had to be pulled back. Sapper Jamie Lyle finally made it across and successfully cranked up the Iroquois and, with a crew member using a searchlight, finally landed at the emergency pad. The incident took place at midnight in pitch darkness during a heavy tropical rainstorm.

Reports of similar incidents are numerous but despite the difficulties the Officer Commanding, Major Don Swiney, says the operation has been a great success. Operation Cenderawasih, which takes its name from the Indonesian word for bird of paradise, is expected to be finished by the end of 1978.

It is part of a co-operative mapping program with In­donesia that started in 1970 and has already included Kalimantan and Sumatra.

Article courtesy of “TRIAD”, Dept of Defence.