A big commitment

The announcement came at the same time as the last AP-3C Orion aircraft returned to RAAF Base Edinburgh after a 10-year deployment to the Middle East, along with the remaining 40 personnel. The first 92 Wing aircraft returned to Australia in October.

The Orion deployment began in 2003, and in the 10 years since the detachment has clocked up over 23,000 flying hours in more than 2,400 missions over Afghanistan and Iraq, maritime patrols of the Arabian Gulf and North Arabian Sea and counter-piracy missions around the East African coast. The aircraft flew an estimated 70 per cent of sorties overland in support of ground forces, and lessons learned from the deployment informed and influenced the modification and upgrade process for the entire fleet.

The Orion deployment in Afghanistan was celebrated for its ability to transmit real-time surveillance data to commanders on the ground and boost situational awareness and resources for decision-makers. Less well-known was the Orions’ role in force protection using their comprehensive sensor package to detect Improvised Explosive Devices.

In fact, the fleet underwent several stages of upgrades to weapons systems, sonars, infrared, and the introduction of a traffic alert and collision avoidance system to keep the aircraft operationally capable. It’s been said the Australian fleet of Orion aircraft is arguably the most capable of their type in the world and their slated replacement by the Boeing P-8 Poseidon will in fact be a slight backwards step in terms of technology and capability.

Since their first deployment in 2003, Defence estimates around 2,800 people have deployed in support of AP-3C Orion operations.

The Orion deployment has corresponded with the deployment of the Air Mobility Task Unit (AMTU), currently comprising two C-130J aircraft and approximately 50 personnel based out of the Al Minhad Air Base in United Arab Emirates.

“The history of Qantas and Emirates has not been blessed with positivity.”

“The AMTU provides intra-theatre air movement for Australian and Coalition forces throughout the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) and Afghanistan. This includes transport of Australian and Coalition personnel and cargo. It also includes aeromedical evacuation of patients from within theatre,” a defence spokesperson told Australian Aviation.

“A continuous AMTU deployment has operated in the MEAO since February 2003 and commenced with the deployment of 36SQN C-130H aircraft for Operation Falconer in Iraq. A separate deployment of C-130 aircraft occurred in 2002 in support of Operation Slipper in Afghanistan.”

With the government’s drawdown in military operations in Afghanistan and the transition of responsibility for security operations to the Afghan National Security Forces, the AMTU deployment will eventually return to Australia, though Defence told AA the “current level of C-130 support is expected to remain at that level until transition and redeployment is completed”.

The RAAF’s heavy workload in Afghanistan is indicative of the changing nature of modern operations from single-service thinking to truly joint operations. While the ‘boots on the ground’ in Afghanistan are predominantly filled by the Army, it is undeniable that without the support of RAAF many of these roles would be impossible or the risk to Australian troops would be greatly increased.

Joint operations have been in greater vogue in 2012, a trend set to continue as operations wind down and budget constraints become ever tighter. The dawning realisation for defence strategists is the efficiencies and effectiveness that can be gained from joint operations.

Whether providing force protection as the Orions did, providing airlift transport like the AMTU, or enabling battlefield management, as Wedgetail will undoubtedly do, joint operations are a force multiplier increasing the capability of each service beyond that which could be achieved independently.