The future of the RAAC

What a mess we’ve inherited!

It all started with the infantry taking over armoured mobility.  Instead of the RAAC continuing as the provider; infantry themselves became the task manager (with newly acquired Redback mech inf vehicles).

At the time, the RAAC comprised three Armoured Cavalry Regiments … 1st Armoured Regiment; 2nd Cavalry Regiment; and 2/14 Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry).  Each ACR comprised a squadron of tanks, a squadron of cavalry and a squadron of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs).  

The three squadrons of APCs went to infantry, leaving the RAAC with three battle-group headquarters; three tank squadrons; and three cavalry squadrons.  This change of role was well anticipated, and, supposedly, well planned for.  

We’ll never know how the RAAC leaders would’ve managed the ‘new look’ Corps, as the CA got in first … or did he?  There is much secrecy surrounding what happened; who knows how long it will take for the truth to be revealed.  The Chief of Army made a big pitch for openness and transparency in decision making at the start of his term.  His effort to engender trust within society, however, seems to have fallen short.

The common mythology is that the need to evaluate emerging technologies was so long over-due that a unit that could ‘hit the ground running’ was needed.  In line with this, the CA stripped the tanks from 1 Armd Regt and made it an experimentation unit. [The unit’s location in Adelaide helped, as the SA Govt was about to embark on a new technology initiative

Why wasn’t there a massive protest at what was being done to the Australian Army’s senior regiment?  Everyone was taken by surprise!  Who could believe it … surely this can’t be happening?  

Rather than responding immediately, the fate of 1 Armd Regt was sealed when: “A number of very senior RAAC officers advised that the decision to re-role 1st Armoured Regiment would surely be reviewed and that common sense would undoubtedly prevail. In the meantime, everyone should try and remain calm rather than undertake a campaign of advocacy which could inflame a sensitive situation”. 

So … following the CA’s ‘initiatives’, the RAAC now comprises 2 Cav Regt, with two squadrons of tanks and two squadrons of cavalry, and 2/14 LHR (QMI) with three squadrons of cavalry.  Seven squadrons in all.  [2/14 LHR was given permission to raise the unit’s third squadron.]

It is my belief that the future RAAC should be based on 1 Armd Regt and 2 Cav Regt, each with three squadrons of tanks and three of cavalry, and both located in Townsville.  2/14 LHR (QMI) should return to ARES status but include an ARA squadron.

It’s a difficult call for 2/14 LHR (QMI), but it isn’t the first integrated ARA/ARES unit (nor will it be the last).  Unfortunately (despite its enormous pedigree in terms of historical campaigns), it is the junior ARA RAAC regiment.  

Surely RAAC leaders will have canvassed this possibility with 2/14 LHR (QMI) …

Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Cameron, MC, RAAC (Ret’d)

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