RAA Liaison Letter 2024 - 2025 Edition

RAA Liaison Letter – 2024 / 2025 Edition 74 Towards the end of the successful support to Operations, TU Dragon were directly responsible for the successful detainment and handling of 10 Unauthorised Maritime Arrivals to Australian Border Force, who had managed to remain undetected for a number of days in a very remote area of Australia. This was a Whole of Government priority, with strategic implications for the enduring boarder security of Australia. The ongoing capability enhancement and Force Generation (FORGEN) continued in 2024 with the raising of 133 Battery, 20 Regt, RAA as an Australian Regular Army unit (having previously existed as a Reserve unit over the period 1965–1987). As a component of DEF129- 3, 133 Battery had an inaugural establishment of 30 personnel, who became pivotal to supporting the various Regimental tasking’s across SH200 (131 Battery), A-61 Integrator (132 Battery), Drivers courses (CSS Battery) and the DEF129- 3 transition activities supporting Acceptance testing and the School of Artillery, STA Wing led training courses. Following a cross-levelling of personnel and equipment within the Regiment, 133 Battery proceeds into 2025 as a fully operational TUAS Battery. 132 Battery commenced 2024 conducting Project Convergence Capstone 4 in the Continental United States, utilising another IPL owned Integrator TUAS to support a number of coalition force headquarters in an increasingly complex, technologically focussed, experimentation activity. Subsequently 132 Battery deployed on Exercise Chimeras Walk, where the Battery utilised the newly acquired Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles (PMV’s) to significantly change the way 20 Regt, RAA fights and manoeuvres in tactical environment. This was followed by a Regimental activity, Exercise Vigilant Scimitar 2A, where 132 Battery, under the 20 Regt, RAA led Aviation Battle Group (an Australian first), would support the 3rd Combat Brigade and commence the integration of the Integrator TUAS into a Divisional war fighting scenario. Throughout this time, 131 Battery remained postured as the remaining Shadow 200 TUAS battery and ‘ready’ TUAS force element for Army, ensuring 20 Regt, RAA maintained the ability to meet the directed requirements. In June 2024, 131 Battery conducted potentially its final flying operations for the Australian Army, fittingly at the Army Aviation Training Centre in Oakey, where they promoted category progression and maintained live flight currency in support of the Regiments maintenance of a TUAS capability. 20 Regt, RAA maintained the TUAS capability transition as priority number one, expecting to be issued with the Integrator capability later in 2024. On the 1st of November 2024, eEarly rRelease of the Initial Material Release (IMR) of the DEF129-3 A-61 Integrator capability was received into the Regiment and immediately Left to Right – GNR Kyle Haynes, GNR Jimmy Hang, LT Harry Gray (BK), LT Shanice Goiser, GNR Himanshu Kamboj, GNR Vince Iquin (front), GNR Alexander Cullen, MAJ Andrew Penhaligon (BC), LBDR Trent Smith, BDR Daniel Chaseling, GNR Armresh Fernando, BDR Blayze Wnuk, BDR Eli Hoolahan, SGT Rod Alchin (A/BSM), GNR Holden Hunt (front), BDR Liam Cochrane, GNR Caleb Cairns, BDR Coby Heffernan, WO2 Aaron Bamford (BG), BDR Brodie Watt, PTE Stacey-Lee Brown, SGT Gabrielle Cocking. Absent: LT Jasper Otway, LT Oliver Milne, LT Anthony Kannan, GNR Cody Doyle,