#378 September 2019 // 57equipment used. Within the
Top End, No 114 MCRU has
radars at Pine Creek, Tindal and
at its home base of Darwin.
No 114 MCRU can operate with
radars thousands of kilometres
away and all flight operations
can be controlled via data link
technologies. Fixed ground-
based radars can typically
‘see’ up to 15,000-20,000ft
(4,572-6,096m), but are limited
by radar clutter and weather.
Using other assets like the E-7A
and deployable ground-based
radars, No 114 MCRU personnel
can call upon a much larger
‘footprint’ to direct the pilots.The unit works from moveable
containers which house
the operations ‘brains’ (the
communications), ‘hearts’ (tactical
interface) and ‘lungs’ (battle data
links). Inside these containers,
specially trained personnel
work with pilots to guide them
through the air, utilise tactics
and control the overall battle.
Diamond Storm also placed
pressure on the controllers,
who work in a dynamic, high-
tempo environment. The key to
successful battle management
comes from assessing the
tactical situation and using this
information to the best advantage.ANG Eagles
at the Top End
The USAF routinely works with
the RAAF in training programmes
including Exercises Diamond
Shield and Storm. This close
co-operation enables both
forces to closely integrate their
assets and personnel, using
similar tactics and support
infrastructure. Visiting Darwin
was the 194th Fighter Squadron
(FS), 144th Fighter Wing (FW),
which normally operates out of
Fresno Air National Guard Base
in California. This detachment
also included jets from the 122nd
FS, 159th FW, from Naval Air
Station Joint Reserve Base New
Orleans, Louisiana. Eight F-15Cs
were observed on the Darwin
ramp for Diamond Shield and the
experienced ANG pilots provided
a formidable force to train against.
The 194th’s commanding
officer, Lt Col Chris ‘Cliff’ Ridlon
explained the mission while ‘Down
Under’. Employing the F-15C’s
highly capable radar and missiles,
their role was to provide a mix of
Red and Blue Air, generating a
variety of offensive and defensive
counter-air flights. Swapping
roles meant the ANG pilots wereable to use their skills to push the
RAAF students and other ADF
personnel in a variety of ways.
Other Red Air assets included
contracted Top Aces Alpha Jets,
which came up from Williamtown.
These typically operated alongside
Red Air Hornets. The small but
agile Alpha Jets enable the RAAF
to better optimise its fighter force,
placing less stress on the Hornet
fleet as adversary aircraft. This
saves airframe hours and cuts
fuel and maintenance costs. As
a result, more Hornets can be
used for ‘real’ training missions.Tindal operations
Operations also took place from
RAAF Base Tindal, around 186
miles (300km) south of Darwin.
Insights at the facility were
provided by the commanding
officers of the base’s No 17
Squadron (a non-flying unit
including the Delamere Air
Weapons Range), Tindal’s No
75 Squadron (F/A-18A) and the
visiting No 77 Squadron (F/A-18A).
No 17 Squadron boss WGCDR
Tim Ferrell said: “We started
planning for this about two to
three months ago, in relation to
food deliveries, fuel deliveries,Below: USAF B-52H serial 61-0035 ‘MT’ comes in to land at RAAF Base Darwin
after a sortie during Exercise Diamond Storm. Maj Bryson Ayers, a 23rd
Expeditionary Bomb Squadron weapons system operator, explained: “One
big piece of why this exercise is important is the interoperability between
the United States and Australia. We need to know how to fl y together, fi ght
together, so we can be ready for anything.”Left: A No 77 Squadron F/A-18A takes off for its next sortie. Serial A21-39 is
the unit’s 75th anniversary jet and received these special markings in 2017.
The squadron brought a dozen jets to Tindal from its Williamtown base and
loaned some of these to No 75 Squadron for the Top End exercise. CPL Colin
Dadd/Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defencehttp://www.airforcesmonthly.com54-58 ExRepDiamondStorm AFM Sep2019.indd 57 8/5/2019 10:36:26 AM