Typhoon engulfs city and surf

Australian Army Aviation and Special Operations Command recently took to the skies over Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay as part of Exercise Nemesis Typhoon.

Over the course of two weeks, UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters supported soldiers as they conducted air assaults on designated targets in response to simulated threat scenarios.

The exercise delivered specialised training to qualified pilots, aircrew and ground crew, enhancing their ability to operate within the special operations environment, and ensuring they are ready to respond when called upon.

Commander 16 Avn Bde, Brig Fern Thompson, said the training was essential in preparing personnel for future operations.

“As part of our annual training, we ensure that our personnel are exposed to a variety of environments and conditions,” Brig Thompson said.

“This ensures that they are ready to respond to a broad array of scenarios.”

In particular, this exercise focused on exposure to complex operations within the urban and maritime environments.

“This training enables our aircrew to practise operating over water, around watercraft and in densely populated locations,” Brig Thompson said.

“Both the maritime and urban environments present unique challenges, from confined landing zones and variable weather, to operating safely near civilian vessels and buildings.”

A key aspect of the exercise was the use of diverse training locations.

“It is important for us to move away from our usual training areas to ensure that we are not too familiar with the targets. This ensures that the crew are ready and ultimately prepares us for the unknown,” Brig Thompson said.

“Conducting training in unfamiliar locations also strengthens our crews’ adaptability and improves their ability to integrate with ground and maritime elements.”