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A 162 Reconnaissance
Squadron Kiowa operating
from near Suai, East Timor
during the 1999 INTERFET
mission. defence
suggest other parts of ADF aviation,
on taking these very complex systems
and ensuring that they are supported
and enabled in a proper airworthiness
framework.”
BRIG Benbow said airworthiness
wasn’t just about the technical quality
of the system you are operating.
“It’s about the environment, its
about the configuration and training,
it’s about having people in the
right frame of mind with the right
qualifications doing the right things.
“In response to that, not only did
we have a much more robust approach
to logistics, supply, support and our
operating environment but we also
raised organisational structures to
better manage aviation.
“Shortly thereafter the Aviation
Support Group was formed and
the Army Aviation Training Centre
formed. We were now managing this
at a much more detailed level.”
Fully-fledged
While Army Aviation had a significant
capability to move troops and
conduct reconnaissance, it lacked any
led to a watershed moment in Army The UH-1H was retired in 2007. BRIG Benbow said many lessons significant ability to attack enemy
Aviation – the 1996 Black Hawk crash. defence came from this disaster. targets, other than that provided by
In June 1996, two Black Hawks “It was a real lesson in how we elderly Bushranger versions of the
operated by the 5th Aviation Regiment should manage complex systems, an Iroquois.
collided while conducting a counter- understanding of the absence of the That changed in 2004 with the
terrorism exercise in the High Range required levels of detail in planning decision to acquire the Tiger ARH.
Training Area near Townsville. and support to enable that system,” BRIG Benbow noted the
Both crashed, killing 15 Special he said. progression of Army Aviation
Air Service Regiment (SASR) soldiers “Aside from the very tragic capability.
and three members of 5th Aviation outcome, it really focused Army and “We started off in light
Regiment. Army Aviation, and I would even reconnaissance, the aerial observation
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