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Reece Downunder ’95
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Recce Downunder – Exercise Downunder ’95
The RAAF’s No 6 Squadron recently celebrated a decade of reconnaissance meets with its US counterparts by hosting the men and women of the 152nd Reconnaissance Group and their immaculately maintained RF-4C Phantoms during Exercise Down Under ’95 at RAAF Amberley. Detailed planning by No 82 Wing RAAF culminated in the deployment of five RF-4C Phantoms from the Nevada Air National Guard and six F-16C Falcons from the Colorado Air National Guard with supporting KC-135 tankers from the Illinois and Tennessee Air National Guards to RAAF Base Amberley during March 1995. For the old hands at the base it was a time for nostalgia as Phantoms once again roared into the sky. (Both 1 and 6 Squadrons operated leased USAF F-4E Phantoms between 1970 and 1973, pending the delayed delivery of the F-111s.) Phantoms and aircrew from the 152 RG had participated in the Gulf War and their crews brought a great deal of experience and tactical reconnaissance expertise to the exercise. The exercise, conducted by No 82 Wing, created realistic tactical recce tasks within the south east Queensland region made all the more challenging by the F-16Cs of the Colorado “Cougars” acting as the opposing air threat. F/A-18 Hornets from No 3 Squadron and No 77 Squadron RAAF deployed to RAAF Base Amberley, conducting joint operations with the reconnaissance aircraft and dissimilar air combat training with their Colorado counterparts in relatively unrestricted airspace set aside during the exercise specifically for DACT. Down Under ’95 continued a strong tradition of RAAF/USAF interoperability, with 6 Squadron Reconnaissance Flight having previously honed its skills at meets in the United States including various Allied Exposure, Photo Finish and Reconnaissance Air Meets (RAM). The exercise was noteworthy for the fact that all the participating United States forces were manned by part-timers with most of the participants returning to their civilian jobs at the end of the exercise. Despite the heavy exercise schedule the Air National Guard contingents also supported the Gold Coast Indy car race with flypasts and several aircraft deployed to Avalon in Victoria for participation in Airshows Downunder ’95. Whilst the venerable Phantom is facing phaseout in 1996, the RF-111Cs of No 6 Squadron will operate well into the next century and will remain in the forefront of tactical reconnaissance assets in the region.
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