Apaches prepared for first live-fire

CO 1 Avn Regt Lt-Col Jason Perrins said Exercise Possum Walk, conducted at RAAF Base Townsville and Townsville Field Training Area last month, was an important milestone for ground crew and pilots.

“The reason for Ex Possum Walk is to be sure that our crews are ready to do what they do every day, which is load and employ an attack helicopter,” Lt-Col Perrins said.

“They have all done their basic Apache training and so now we are taking that next step, where we’re getting them to load inert ordnance.

“They are loading by day and night, so they’re doing it on night vision goggles at night, which is just another level of risk that they haven’t experienced yet.”

Lt-Col Perrins said the exercise was a crucial step for the growing cadre of Apache pilots.

“The aircrew are getting the opportunity to then fly with the helicopter that’s a little bit heavier with that inert ordnance on board,” he said.

“This allows them to fly inert ordnance profiles and practise the range procedures they will employ while firing live munitions.”

Tpr Tyson Higgins, an aviation ground crew member with 16 Avn Support Bn, said the exercise gave them a chance to familiarise themselves with the aircraft and develop standard operating procedures.

“For aviation ground crew, that involves our marshalling in of the aircraft. We’ll conduct hot refuels at the end and also loading on and unloading of our inert explosive ordinance,” Tpr Higgins said.

“We’re getting better with our communication, hand signals, and just more confidence about each other; and as a team, we’re picking up each other’s little quirks and encouraging each other.”

Lt-Col Perrins said the Apache offered significantly more to the integrated force than the Tiger ARH it was replacing.

“Its sensor suite, communications suite, is beyond anything the other attack capabilities have at this time,” Lt-Col Perrins said.

“So it enables our crews to provide situational awareness to the integrated force that wasn’t feasible with the Tiger.

“So identifying targets further out, and being able to communicate that quickly to various data systems – we haven’t been able to do that before.”

Later this year, 1 Avn Regt, with support from 16 Avn Support Bn, will load live ordnance on Exercise Possum Guns.

“That will be an actual live-fire activity here in Townsville, where the ground crew and aircrew will use live ordnance for loading and take it up to the range and fire live rounds onto targets,” Lt-Col Perrins said.

“This significant step will be the first time an Australian Apache has conducted a live-fire here in Australia.”