ARH Moving Forward
From Courier Mail 22 Jul 11
THE Federal Government and Australia's military brass are under growing pressure to send the Australian Army's Tiger attack helicopters to Afghanistan after the machines proved during high-level war games they are ready to fight.
The new Tigers are not fully accepted into operational service, but they have performed so well at this month's biennial military exercise with US forces at Shoalwater Bay that one senior officer has pronounced them "ready for war".
The key sticking point remains the controversial issue of night vision equipment, but the choppers are more than ready for daytime operations in Afghanistane.
However, senior officers are refusing to consider deploying them until that night vision capability is fully integrated and operational.
"This aircraft is capable of fighting in Afghanistan - by day - right now," said the officer in command of the Darwin-based 1st Aviation Regiment's 162 Reconnaissance Squadron, Major Hayden Archibald.
"This exercise shows that the capability is mature and can integrate seamlessly into the army's battle field systems," he told The Courier-Mail.
"We have fired and deployed all our weapons with a high level of success and we are ready to support our troops."
Built in Brisbane by Eurocopter subsidiary Australian Aerospace, the Aussie Tiger is one of the most advanced attack helicopters in the world.
Eight Tigers from the 1st Aviation Regiment's force of 12 have deployed to Rockhampton with Battle Group Cavalier.
That group also includes 10 Blackhawks from the Sydney and Townsville based 6 and 5 Aviation Regiments and seven Kiowa helicopters.
According to Major Archibald, the Tiger has performed brilliantly during the intense exercises and he rates it above the much heavier US-built Apache attack helicopter.
The Tigers have "live" fired all three of their weapons systems, the 30mm canon, rockets and Hellfire laser guided missile, to great effect at ranges from 1000m to 8000m.
The sleek, tandem machine is designed for attack, reconnaissance and security roles and flies with a pilot up front and a gunner behind and above.
Both crew are qualified pilots but the front seat is the pilot station and he also operates the "self protection" 30mm canon that is linked to his helmet mounted sight display so that whatever the pilot sees is what the gun hits with high precision.
The gun can fire 660 rounds a minute and the Tiger typically carries about 400 rounds as well as 33 rockets and four missiles.
"We can deal with most threats," Major Archibald said.
Talisman Sabre has thrown up some spare parts challenges for the Tigers, but that is unlikely to be a problem for any machines deployed to a war zone.
"I would love to go to Afghanistan tomorrow with the Tigers," Major Archibald said. "This machine is good to go. It is a wonderful aircraft to fly and is so well built for the attack role."
One of the $40 million Tigers had a taste of combat yesterday when an anti-war protester broke into Rockhampton airfield and attacked a $40 million helicopter with a garden mattock.
The protester, Bryan Law from Cairns, allegedly pierced the skin of the high-tech machine - made from composite material - just below the pilot's side window.
The machine will be out of action for repairs.
The protester was arrested in Rockhampton last week for threatening to damage military helicopters. Despite this, he was able to breach a wire fence and cover more than 50m of open ground to the machine.
Charges are yet to be laid.
The security breach has prompted the army to move all its helicopters from the regional airport to the Shoalwater Bay training area.
Security at the airport is provided by Queensland police, private security contractors and RAAF security staff.
Australian military spokesman Brigadier Bob Brown said the attack was a major security breach but it would not affect the huge Talisman Sabre military exercises.
"It is radical, it is unlawful and it is dangerous and we take this extremely seriously," Brigadier Bob Brown said. "Clearly there has been a security breach."
Mr Law and an accomplice were arrested following the attack and were last night helping police with their inquiries.