Aussie Tigers prowl in Malaysia
Members of Task Unit Marlin and 2/30 Training Group contributed aviation and ground-based capabilities respectively to Exercise Keris Strike in Malaysia for three weeks in July.
CAPTION: Australian Army Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopter pilots from 162 Reconnaissance Squadron, prepare for a flying mission during exercise Keris Strike 26 in Sabah, Malaysia. Story by Flight Lieutenant Freya Hansen. Photo by Corporal Jack Pearce.
The annual multilateral army exercise comprised units and assets from Malaysia, the United States and Australia.
CO 2/30 Training Group Lieutenant Colonel Adam Seary said he had seen the exercise grow from a modest infantry contribution as part of the Rifle Company Butterworth (RCB) rotations, to the deployment of a combined-arms regional combat team, to this year supported by an aviation unit of armed reconnaissance helicopters.
“We’re very pleased to have the opportunity to return to Kota Belud with a more capable and credible infantry combat team, augmented with attack aviation elements,” Lieutenant Colonel Seary said.
Major Rhys Davies, 1st Aviation Regiment, led Task Unit Marlin, which largely comprised of members from 162 Reconnaissance Squadron out of Darwin.
“ARH Tiger can perform offensive air support, reconnaissance roles, and escort roles – it’s a pretty versatile aircraft,” Major Davies said.
“The reason we brought Tigers to Keris Strike is to fit into a larger aviation task force.”
That task force was led by the US Army’s 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, which brought UH-60M Black Hawks and HH-60M medevac helicopters.
Exercising in this region also exposed the US and Australian participants to a more challenging battlespace.
On a visit to her troops, Adjutant General of the Guam National Guard Brigadier General Karin Watson said it was a great opportunity for them to do what they normally do in a garrison environment, in a field environment at a much larger scale.
“One of the challenges that we have in Guam is space and land,” Brigadier General Watson said.
“Being able to come out to exercise the live-fire, for example, is not something we would normally be able to do back home.
“Being able to come out here and really hone our skills in an austere environment – that maybe work on a tactical level and bring it up to a more collective level – pays huge dividends for us.”
Major Davies said working with the Malaysians had been fantastic.
“The Malaysian Army, and not to mention the Malaysian civilian organisations, have provided a great deal of assistance throughout the exercise.
“We are continuing to develop the coalition relationship we have with the US Army as well.
“Working with them is very smooth – just like plugging in and getting on with the job.”
Commander of US Task Force Nightcard Lieutenant Colonel Mike Poling agreed.
“Just through shared hardships we naturally form friendships, which, ultimately, on the battlefield or through humanitarian relief, will pay dividends if we ever were called on in a real-world scenario,” he said.
Exercise Keris Strike 26 culminated with a live-fire demonstration, comprising infantry and artillery live-fire on the ground and the Black Hawks and Tigers in the air.
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