Airforces

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #359 FEBRUARY 2018 // 69

Airforces

Intelligence

‘In association with ....’

the battlefield air mobility role in

the mid-1980s and was initially

delivered to the RAAF, before

all battlefield helicopters were

transferred to the AA Avn in 1989.

An initial order for 14 aircraft

(A25-101 to 114) was placed

in May 1986 and increased to

39 (A25-201 to 225) in June

1987. The type was officially
      commissioned into (RAAF) service
      in September 1988 and, aside
      from the Kiowa, is now the oldest
      platform in the army fleet.
      Today, 33 Black Hawks remain on
      strength, largely concentrated at

Holsworthy with the 171st and 173rd

Squadrons, but a small number are

maintained at Oakey in the crash

response helicopter (CRH) role.

“It’s an ageing aircraft and we have

issues that we need to manage

very carefully on the helicopter,”

explained Major General Andrew

Mathewson, Head of the Helicopter

Division at CASG. “It’s performing

very well at the moment, but it’s

at the back end of its life and

naturally there are risks which

might arise in the coming years.”

Training

Training for army pilots and aircrew

members is currently in a period

of transition, as the traditional

training continuum gives way to

the new HATS being delivered by

Boeing Defence Australia under

Joint Project 9000 Phase 7.

Today, graduates from the

Australian Defence Force fixed-

wing Basic Flying Training School

(ADF BFTS) at Tamworth conduct

basic rotary-wing training at

Oakey on the Kiowa, before

progressing to an Operational

Type Transition Course (OTTC) on

the MRH90 or Tiger. Black Hawk

conversion is undertaken by the

173rd Squadron at Holsworthy.

Conducted under the aegis of

the Army Helicopter School, the

basic rotary-wing course, known

as the Helicopter Qualification

Course (HQC), is provided by

Boeing Defence Australia under

the AATTS programme.

Postgraduate training in

Above: The CH-47Fs of the 5th Aviation Regiment provide the army’s medium-lift rotary capability. This Chinook is preparing to lift an M777A2 howitzer of
the 8th/12th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery during Exercise Hamel 2016 at the Cultana Training Area, South Australia. CPL Nunu Campos/Commonwealth
of Australia Below: Shadow A43-620 recovers post-mission at Multinational Base Tarin Kot in September 2013. The RQ-7B Shadow was acquired in 2010 to
support the Australian Defence Force in Afghanistan. Bombardier Carly McAllister/Commonwealth of Australia

Order of battle – Australian Army Aviation Corps

Unit Headquarters Equipment

HQ Land Command HQ Victoria Barracks (Sydney)

16th Aviation Brigade Gallipoli Barracks Enoggera (Brisbane)

1st Aviation Regiment Robertson Barracks (Darwin)

161st Reconnaissance Squadron Robertson Barracks Tiger ARH

162nd Reconnaissance Squadron Robertson Barracks Tiger ARH

5th Aviation Regiment RAAF Townsville

A Squadron RAAF Townsville MRH90 Taipan

B Squadron RAAF Townsville MRH90 Taipan

C Squadron RAAF Townsville CH-47F Chinook

6th Aviation Regiment Holsworthy

171st Aviation Squadron Holsworthy S-70A-9 Black Hawk

173rd Aviation Squadron Holsworthy S-70A-9 Black Hawk

HQ Training Command Victoria Barracks (Sydney)

Army Aviation Training Centre Oakey Bell 206B-1 Kiowa, MRH90

School of Army Aviation Oakey Bell 206B-1 Kiowa, MRH90, Tiger ARH

1st Division Headquarters (1 Div HQ) Gallipoli Barracks Enoggera (Brisbane)

20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition

Regiment

Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera

132nd Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Battery Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera RQ-7B Shadow 200