Post by corsair67 on Jun 7, 2007 18:47:10 GMT 12
From The Australian
www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21865396-31477,00.html
Orions' new test: hunting bombers in Iraq
June 07, 2007.
AUSTRALIA'S Orion maritime patrol aircraft, originally acquired to hunt Russian submarines and help rescue distressed sailors, are now spotting terrorist bombs in Iraq.
Flying high over Iraq, two RAAF AP-3C Orions conduct surveillance missions using advanced cameras to provide video imagery to US military commanders fighting insurgents on the ground.
A defence briefing today gave some insight into the activities of what is perhaps the least publicised of Australia's military contributions to the Iraq conflict.
But much of what they do remains top secret.
Details of specific missions are classified. Neither does the Australian Defence Force publicly reveal just where in the Middle East the two aircraft and 160 RAAF support personnel are actually based.
In the past four and a half years, the RAAF crew have flown 1,100 sorties and more than 10,500 hours.
Wing Commander Warren McDonald, recently returned from commanding the Orion detachment in the Middle East said the RAAF Orions flew missions over the Persian Gulf and over all areas of Iraq.
Wing Commander McDonald said the flying intelligence-gathering and surveillance missions over land were a relatively new capability, facilitated by a sophisticated day and night camera.
“While the Orion remains extremely capable in its traditional maritime roles ... its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities are now central to overland operations in the Middle East,” he said.
Wing Commander McDonald said overland operations now represented 60 per cent of Orion missions.
“Overland missions can range from escorting friendly convoys to searching for militants launching rockets or mortars,” he said.
“Crews provide direct support to coalition and grounds forces by using the electro-optics to search for suspicious or unusual activity.
“On occasion, the Orion's sensitive equipment has detected the location of improvised explosive devices. The Orions have the capability to track individual vehicles and personnel movements.”
Wing Commander McDonald said the Orions were now being further upgraded with a datalink to enable them to transmit live video footage to a ground commander.
He said all ground surveillance imagery was later examined for further intelligence, a process which requires three to four hours for every hour of airborne video.
This material was highly regarded for its intelligence value and high level of detail, he said.
Wing Commander McDonald said Orions flying missions over the Persian Gulf kept a special watch out for ships suspected of illegal or terrorist activities or which might pose a threat to Iraq's offshore oil terminals.
- AAP
www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21865396-31477,00.html
Orions' new test: hunting bombers in Iraq
June 07, 2007.
AUSTRALIA'S Orion maritime patrol aircraft, originally acquired to hunt Russian submarines and help rescue distressed sailors, are now spotting terrorist bombs in Iraq.
Flying high over Iraq, two RAAF AP-3C Orions conduct surveillance missions using advanced cameras to provide video imagery to US military commanders fighting insurgents on the ground.
A defence briefing today gave some insight into the activities of what is perhaps the least publicised of Australia's military contributions to the Iraq conflict.
But much of what they do remains top secret.
Details of specific missions are classified. Neither does the Australian Defence Force publicly reveal just where in the Middle East the two aircraft and 160 RAAF support personnel are actually based.
In the past four and a half years, the RAAF crew have flown 1,100 sorties and more than 10,500 hours.
Wing Commander Warren McDonald, recently returned from commanding the Orion detachment in the Middle East said the RAAF Orions flew missions over the Persian Gulf and over all areas of Iraq.
Wing Commander McDonald said the flying intelligence-gathering and surveillance missions over land were a relatively new capability, facilitated by a sophisticated day and night camera.
“While the Orion remains extremely capable in its traditional maritime roles ... its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities are now central to overland operations in the Middle East,” he said.
Wing Commander McDonald said overland operations now represented 60 per cent of Orion missions.
“Overland missions can range from escorting friendly convoys to searching for militants launching rockets or mortars,” he said.
“Crews provide direct support to coalition and grounds forces by using the electro-optics to search for suspicious or unusual activity.
“On occasion, the Orion's sensitive equipment has detected the location of improvised explosive devices. The Orions have the capability to track individual vehicles and personnel movements.”
Wing Commander McDonald said the Orions were now being further upgraded with a datalink to enable them to transmit live video footage to a ground commander.
He said all ground surveillance imagery was later examined for further intelligence, a process which requires three to four hours for every hour of airborne video.
This material was highly regarded for its intelligence value and high level of detail, he said.
Wing Commander McDonald said Orions flying missions over the Persian Gulf kept a special watch out for ships suspected of illegal or terrorist activities or which might pose a threat to Iraq's offshore oil terminals.
- AAP
