The Australian Government has called for all Royal Australian Air Force strategic and tactical level air transport to be available for deployment at 28 days' notice, as part of a major upgrade to national defence preparedness.
The upgrade in readiness - to the highest levels supported by Australia since the Vietnam war - includes the Australian Army's Blackhawk and Chinook transport and Iroquois gunship helicopter fleets. Consideration is also being given to incorporating Army paratrooper units into the short warning force structure.
The upgrade does not yet include the RAAF's General Dynamics F-111 and Boeing F/A-18 fleets, but Australian Defence Headquarters says it is considering applying the new preparedness requirement to provide "close air support" for deployed ground forces.
The Australian Government acknowledges that the shift in preparedness is linked to increased strategic uncertainty in the Asia-Pacific region, including the possibility of a requirement to deploy a peacekeeping force into East Timor to oversee the island's transition to possible independence at the end of this year.
The new preparedness directive, which was approved by the Australian Government's National Security Committee in early February, calls for an additional Army brigade to be placed on 28 days' operational notice, along with a number of naval units, with emphasis on the ability to support amphibious operations.
The Australian Defence Force is required to support the heightened preparedness state from 30 June this year.
The Australian Department of Defence has also stepped up work already under way to upgrade electronic warfare self-protection measures aboard the RAAF's Lockheed Martin C-130H.
This work is expected to be completed ahead of the deadline of 30 June.
Source: Flight International
