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Australian Defence Force and US Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Combine for Live-fire Mission

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Australian Defence Force and US Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Combine for Live-fire Mission

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The Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) recently conducted a rapid insertion long-range fire mission in the Northern Territory. Exercise Loobye took place this month in the Bradshaw Field Training Area, 350km south of Darwin. More than 100 U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) personnel deployed in four MV22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft to secure Nackaroo Airfield before a Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III touched down on the short dirt runway to insert a USMC M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). The rapid insertion of the HIMARS, which is called a HIRAIN mission, enabled a successful missile strike on a simulated anti-ship missile battery target.

Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III conducts an overflight prior to landing as part of Exercise Loobye at Bradshaw Field Training Area.
Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III conducts an overflight prior to landing as part of Exercise Loobye at Bradshaw Field Training Area.(Photo by POIS Peter Thompson/Australian Government Department of Defence)

Australian Army Commander Headquarters Northern Command Colonel Marcus Constable said,”An activity like this was important in further developing the longstanding relationship between the two forces. Loobye means ‘together’ in the local Indigenous language. During this exercise, we worked together with the MRF-D to practise interoperability across different capabilities, including command and control, information sharing between our networks, joint airspace management and bilateral planning and mission execution. During the C17A flight, we were able to connect the HIMARS platform to our in-flight navigation system for the first time.”

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Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III prepares for takeoff at Nackaroo Airfield, Bradshaw Field Training Area near three United States Marine Corps MV-22B tilt rotor aircraft as part of Exercise Loobye.
Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III prepares for takeoff at Nackaroo Airfield, Bradshaw Field Training Area near three United States Marine Corps MV-22B tilt rotor aircraft as part of Exercise Loobye.(Photo by POIS Peter Thompson/Australian Government Department of Defence)

Commander of the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, Colonel David Banning, said,”The bilateral activity demonstrated increasing interoperability between ADF and US forces with the ability to project joint capability into the region. This year marks 70 years since the signing of the ANZUS Treaty and 10 years since the announcement of the MRF-D. The MRF-D has grown in size and complexity since the first rotation of 200 US marines through Darwin in 2012. Executing highly complex joint training scenarios such as Exercise Loobye continues to challenge our forces and better prepare us to rapidly respond in the region, if and when called upon to do so.

Two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems offload from a Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster III as part of Exercise Loobye, between the Australian Defence Force and the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 2021 at Bradshaw Field Training Area.
Two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems offload from a Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster III as part of Exercise Loobye, between the Australian Defence Force and the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 2021 at Bradshaw Field Training Area.(Photo by CAPT Carla Armenti/Australian Government Department of Defence)

The incorporation of the HIRAIN mission was an example of the increased complexity of Exercise Loobye. Australian Army Commander Headquarters Northern Command Colonel Marcus Constable said an activity like this was important in further developing the longstanding relationship between the two forces. US marines cleared the airfield of enemy threats, while the Australian Army took care of the ground-based air defence. Exercise Loobye sets the scene for Exercise Koolendong, the largest bilateral live-fire exercise so far for the MRF-D and a key training event for the Australian Army. More than 2500 troops and 500 vehicles will conduct a significant coalition land combat scenario in some of the most remote and austere Australian outback areas, with many more supporting the exercise from other locations.

Australian Defence Force and US Marine Rotational Force – Darwin Combine for Live-fire Mission
A United States Marine Corps M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), part of the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, fires a guided rocket against targets on Bradshaw Field Training Area in the Northern Territory. (Photo by POIS Peter Thompson/Australian Government Department of Defence)

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