Page 62 - AA 2018_09

Army Aviation

familiar with the territory, flying complained that RAAF helicopters desperately needed ammunition right
observation aircraft. were restricted in what missions ‘161 where it was needed.
The Army’s 16 AOP Flight, initially they could conduct by Air Board (Independent) Subsequently Army-RAAF
formed in New Guinea in 1944 and regulations framed for peacetime relations and helicopter support
disbanded after the war, was re- operations. At the same time US Reconnaissance procedures were much improved.
formed in Canberra in 1958. The same helicopters willingly performed higher But this, plus the unacceptable
year, the Austers were replaced with risk missions such as landing and Flight was raised operational arrangement of having
the more modern Cessna 180A. evacuating troops while under enemy the Task Force at Nui Dat and the
Then in 1960, 16 AOP Flight and fire. specifically to go helicopters 50 kilometres away at
1 Aviation Company were disbanded That peaked on August 18 1966 as Vung Tau, were remembered two
and 16 Light Aviation Squadron the soldiers of Delta Company, 6RAR, to war.’ decades later when the government,
formed, equipped with Cessna 180A ran short of ammunition as they acting on advice from the Defence
fixed-wing aircraft and Bell 47 Sioux fought off waves of attackers in the Chiefs of Staff committee, made a
helicopters. rubber plantation of Long Tan. significant decision.
As Australia’s involvement in Resupplying their ammunition Henceforth all battlefield
Vietnam escalated, 161 (Independent) was certainly a high risk mission for helicopters would be transferred from
Reconnaissance Flight was raised the two available RAAF Iroquois the RAAF to Army. That transition
specifically to go to war. In seven helicopters which had earlier that took place over a number of years.
years, the unit flew more than 72,000 day transported civilian performers The RAAF’s 9 Squadron, equipped
hours on Sioux and OH-58A Kiowa to the Australian base at Nui Dat to with the then brand-new Black
helicopters and Cessna 180A, Pilatus entertain the troops. The weather was Hawks, and 35 Squadron with the
Porter and Cessna O-1 Bird Dog fixed- atrocious and they could expect enemy UH-1H Iroquois, handed their aircraft
wing aircraft. Three pilots were killed fire. and aircrew to the Army’s 5th Aviation
in action. The RAAF group captain in the Regiment, formed in 1987. 9SQN itself
However, the job of transporting Australian Task Force headquarters wound up in February 1989.
soldiers to and from battle was said he would need approval from
performed by the RAAF’s 9 Squadron Canberra, but allowed the mission to New beginnings
equipped with Bell UH-1D Iroquois proceed when the two RAAF pilots A RAAF C-130H departs Balibo With the Black Hawks entering
helicopters, deployed to support the said they were willing to take the risk. as Army Black Hawks arrive service, the Army acquired a state-
Australian Task Force in mid-1966. Flying at treetop level while the with 2 RAR troops during the of-the-art battlefield helicopter, far
Initially this wasn’t a completely battle raged metres below, the two INTERFET mission in East Timor more sophisticated and complex than
happy experience. The Army helicopters successfully dumped the in 1999. defence anything previously in service and that

62 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION