Australian Army Discussions and Updates

old faithful

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Still using 77 sets!!! :unknown ??? oh well....i guess if you switch to 69/75 you can listen to the cricket or football on ABC!
 

stump1100

New Member
Are you really sure that the AN/PRC 77 is still in use? I think you might find they are no longer in use by anyone in Australia.

Primary CNR is Raven supplemented by Pintail and PRR.

Land 75/125 has increased in scope (taken from JP2072) and will be the "vehicle" which selects the next Combat Net Radio for the Australian Army. Think either AN/PRC-148 JTRS Enhanced MBITR (JEM) or Harris AN/PRC-152 digital Type 1 SDRs.
 
A

Aussie Digger

Guest
Are you really sure that the AN/PRC 77 is still in use? I think you might find they are no longer in use by anyone in Australia.

Primary CNR is Raven supplemented by Pintail and PRR.

Land 75/125 has increased in scope (taken from JP2072) and will be the "vehicle" which selects the next Combat Net Radio for the Australian Army. Think either AN/PRC-148 JTRS Enhanced MBITR (JEM) or Harris AN/PRC-152 digital Type 1 SDRs.
I understand that they are still in use in a few chock regiments around the Country, but I agree they are not used in higher readiness units and haven't been for some time.
 

Tasman

Ship Watcher
Verified Defense Pro
Oz artillerymen imbedded with UK forces in Ghan

The Defence Minister, Joel Fitzgibbon, gave details today of the deployment to Afghanistan of Australian Army artillery personnel imbedded in British units:

AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERYMEN DEPLOY TO AFGHANISTAN IN SUPPORT OF UK OPERATIONS
Minister for Defence, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP has joined the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, and the Chief of Army, Lieutenant-General Peter Leahy, in wishing 15 Australian soldiers the best of luck for their tour of duty in Southern Afghanistan.

The soldiers, members of the Darwin-based 8/12 Medium Regiment, have spent the past six months in the United Kingdom preparing for their deployment with Task Force Helmand as part of a bilateral program.

Mr Fitzgibbon said the deployment of the artillerymen was a further demonstration of Australia’s commitment to restoring security to Afghanistan and the ADF’s long-standing relationship with the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence.

“These soldiers have worked extremely hard in the preceding months and have formed a key component of Task Force Helmand’s fire support capability,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

“I wish them all the best for their deployment and am sure that their proficiency and skills will be highly valued by the UK and ISAF personnel they support.”

Lieutenant-General Leahy said the deployment of Australian artillerymen in their primary role was the first time Australians had manned a gun line on operations since Vietnam in 1973.

“This deployment into a complex operational environment in support of one of our longest-standing military partners is an excellent opportunity for the Royal Australian Artillery, the Australian Army and the ADF,” Lieutenant-General Leahy said.

The deployment of the 8/12 Medium Regiment personnel will be followed by a similar embedding of gunners from Townsville’s 4th Field Regiment late in 2008.

The Australian gunners will employ the 105mm L118 Light Gun, a similar weapon to the ADF’s L119 Hamel Gun, from Forward Operating Bases throughout Helmand Province.

The Australian gunners will deploy as part of the UK-led Task Force Helmand and form part of the gun-line supporting operations in the Province.

The deployment with Task Force Helmand is occurring under a bilateral arrangement and will enhance the training and experience of the Australian Army’s offensive support capability.

Media Note: Footage of the Australian gunners with their UK unit, the 7th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, in the UK and an interview with their British Army Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel James Learmont will be fed to television networks, Press Gallery, Parliament House.
http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/Fitzgibbontpl.cfm?CurrentId=7498

Can anyone confirm my understanding that this will be the first operational deployment of Australian gunners in an artillery role since Vietnam (I suspect some may have deployed operationally in other roles)?

Tas
 

Abraham Gubler

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
Can anyone confirm my understanding that this will be the first operational deployment of Australian gunners in an artillery role since Vietnam (I suspect some may have deployed operationally in other roles)?
This is not the first deployment of Gunners – personnel of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (RRAA) – since the Vietnam War but the first deployment of “Gun Numbers” (aka Gun Bunnies) as actual gun numbers operating artillery gun-howitzers. Many Gun Numbers have deployed on peace and stabilisation missions in the past as pseudo infantryman but not in their operational role.

But Gun Bunnies are only PART of the RRAA and many other Gunners have deployed in the primary role, including Air Defence and Joint Offensive Support Teams (JOST) (aka Forward Observers).

Deploying 15 gun-bunnies would mean staffing of two guns within a British field artillery regiment.

The above press release also gets it wrong by saying our Gunners will be working on “L118s similar to our L119” Hamel guns. Each of our Hamel guns was supplied with the ordnance to be either a L118 or a L119 (they have different barrels, breaches and ammo but everything else is pretty much the same). While Australia has never brought enough of the Abbott ammunition to realise the L118 capability it is something we are familiar with and can train our guys on domestically.
 

Tasman

Ship Watcher
Verified Defense Pro
This is not the first deployment of Gunners – personnel of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (RRAA) – since the Vietnam War but the first deployment of “Gun Numbers” (aka Gun Bunnies) as actual gun numbers operating artillery gun-howitzers. Many Gun Numbers have deployed on peace and stabilisation missions in the past as pseudo infantryman but not in their operational role.

But Gun Bunnies are only PART of the RRAA and many other Gunners have deployed in the primary role, including Air Defence and Joint Offensive Support Teams (JOST) (aka Forward Observers).

Deploying 15 gun-bunnies would mean staffing of two guns within a British field artillery regiment.

The above press release also gets it wrong by saying our Gunners will be working on “L118s similar to our L119” Hamel guns. Each of our Hamel guns was supplied with the ordnance to be either a L118 or a L119 (they have different barrels, breaches and ammo but everything else is pretty much the same). While Australia has never brought enough of the Abbott ammunition to realise the L118 capability it is something we are familiar with and can train our guys on domestically.
Thanks for the comprehensive response Abraham - I learned much more from that than from the Defmin's statement! ;)

Tas
 
A

Aussie Digger

Guest
This is not the first deployment of Gunners – personnel of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (RRAA) – since the Vietnam War but the first deployment of “Gun Numbers” (aka Gun Bunnies) as actual gun numbers operating artillery gun-howitzers. Many Gun Numbers have deployed on peace and stabilisation missions in the past as pseudo infantryman but not in their operational role.

But Gun Bunnies are only PART of the RRAA and many other Gunners have deployed in the primary role, including Air Defence and Joint Offensive Support Teams (JOST) (aka Forward Observers).

Deploying 15 gun-bunnies would mean staffing of two guns within a British field artillery regiment.

The above press release also gets it wrong by saying our Gunners will be working on “L118s similar to our L119” Hamel guns. Each of our Hamel guns was supplied with the ordnance to be either a L118 or a L119 (they have different barrels, breaches and ammo but everything else is pretty much the same). While Australia has never brought enough of the Abbott ammunition to realise the L118 capability it is something we are familiar with and can train our guys on domestically.
Bloody drop shorts...

Can someone please tell the Brit's to watch for incoming behind them? :eek:nfloorl:
 

riksavage

Banned Member
They will be deploying with 7RHA, the para artillery along side 1,2,3 and elements of 4(V) para. They will be in for an interesting time and I wish them all the best, I'm sure they will enjoy the experience.

I wonder whether during there six month stay in the UK they had the chance to complete the all arms 'P-Company?'
 

riksavage

Banned Member
Following on from my previous post, Diggers have already undertaken exchanges with 7RHA in Afghanistan. Quote from their web-site "Lieutenant Adrian Bucci Royal Australian Artillery – attached to I Para Bty RHA as part of
Exercise LONG LOOK, and deployed with Bull’s Troop to Afghanistan. He became the first Aussie FOO to fire artillery on operations since the Vietnam War."

http://www.army.mod.uk/7pararha/i_bty.htm

There's a photo of him wearing Aussie cams, sporting a UK Para Helmet and SA80A2
 

flyboyEB

New Member
With Exercise LONG LOOK, would exchanged personel go on ALL the deployments of the unit they were with? I see that the Australian officer is in Afghanistan with the British Army, but Australia has troops in Afhganistan anyway. Would it be different if it was an operation or war that Australia wasn't involved in (say, a theoretical Falklands War II or whatever:confused: )?
 

riksavage

Banned Member
Depends on the Government. Just prior to the Falklands war one of the Para Companies was commanded by a US Ranger on Long Look. His own Government prevented him from taking part for political reasons, even though he was extremely keen to take part. I also understand he was very highly regarded amongst the Para's he commanded.
 

flyboyEB

New Member
Hey all, again,
This is just an idea, but if the Army is intent on increasing the number of Battalions, is it possible to have a battalion in the Royal Australian Regiment that can be formed from the Army Reserves, much like the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment's 3/1st Battalion was going to be? If I'm correct the Army Reserves have deployed Force Protection Company Group or something similarly named to Exercises (according to the 16 Bn RWAR website) who are reservists who spend more time training than the average choco and are suposed to be deployable. Would it make sense to form a Battalion for the RAR (on paper) out of these units?
 

barra

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
Following on from my previous post, Diggers have already undertaken exchanges with 7RHA in Afghanistan. Quote from their web-site "Lieutenant Adrian Bucci Royal Australian Artillery – attached to I Para Bty RHA as part of
Exercise LONG LOOK, and deployed with Bull’s Troop to Afghanistan. He became the first Aussie FOO to fire artillery on operations since the Vietnam War."

http://www.army.mod.uk/7pararha/i_bty.htm

There's a photo of him wearing Aussie cams, sporting a UK Para Helmet and SA80A2
I thought Ex Long Look was all about drinking pints and having a good time!!! Not spending 6 months in a fox hole calling in arty strikes on assorted terrorists/bad guys!

And I also thought it was restricted to SNCO's. No doubt someone will correct me.
 
A

Aussie Digger

Guest
I thought Ex Long Look was all about drinking pints and having a good time!!! Not spending 6 months in a fox hole calling in arty strikes on assorted terrorists/bad guys!

And I also thought it was restricted to SNCO's. No doubt someone will correct me.
Nope Junior NCO's and Orifaces can do it too.

A mate of mine (a Captain) is with a British unit in MEA at present and spent the 18 months prior to that in England and Germany...
 

flyboyEB

New Member
Speaking of artillery, has there been a decision about the 'Land 17' replacement program yet? I would go for the Panzerhaubitze 2000 and M777, but thats just me and I'm only basing that on how 'cool' they look :D
 

Ozzy Blizzard

New Member
Speaking of artillery, has there been a decision about the 'Land 17' replacement program yet? I would go for the Panzerhaubitze 2000 and M777, but thats just me and I'm only basing that on how 'cool' they look :D
I dunno, K9 comes with that handy ammo resupply vehical. The crew doesent even need to get out to resuply, just park in front and its all automatic. PZ 2000 is awfull yheavy aswell (would i be right in assuming that K9 is a tad lighter?). I'd put M777 in as a sure thing. An airmobile, 155mm at ~9000lb's, thats capability your probably not going to get much better than that for a towed piece.
 

Waylander

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
Jup, PzH2000 weights 55t battle loaded (including the top mounted ERA).
The K9 weights "just" 47t fully loaded.

If the K9 comes at a good price it is defenitely worth a look.
 
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