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LOs and ATCs ensure success during multinational exercise

LOs and ATCs ensure success during multinational exercise

Date:
Place:
Australia
Reading time:
4 MIN

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Participating in a multinational air force exercise at the other end of the world requires a lot of planning across national borders and, above all, a good relationship with the host nation. Liaison officers (LOs) and tower controllers play a special role in the coordination between the German Air Force and its Australian hosts.

Three soldiers talking in front of a red banner.

Martina and Nick in an exchange with the German first sergeant of 71 Tactical Air Wing Richthofen. The first sergeant often is referred to as “the mother of the company” and always has an open ear for the interests of the unit.

Bundeswehr/Christian Timmig

Liaison officers: the interface between the nations

Australian country liaison officers (CLOs) Martina B. and Nick M. ensure that the German participants have everything they need during the Pitch Black exercise.  The two German-born members of the Royal Australian Air Force are the first point of contact for the German soldiers when something needs to be coordinated with the Australian hosts or when they need anything.

Flight Lieutenant Nick M. says: “Our tasks range from safety briefings at the air base in Darwin and picking up people to the planning of flying displays, that is, integrating aircraft into international air shows.” For Nick, who usually works as a system engineer and services the Australian F-35, it is the first time acting as a CLO during Pitch Black 24. The fact that he speaks both languages perfectly and at the same time is an aircraft engineer himself makes it much easier for the German contingent to communicate their wishes and problems to him and then to find an appropriate counterpart on the Australian side through Nick. 

“Whenever the units are not able to carry out their tasks, I try to help them by putting them in contact with people I know. In general, however, I can say that the German units have proven to be independent and effective partners, a fact that is also appreciated by their Australian counterparts.”

A group of soldiers is standing around a soldier, with a combat aircraft in the background.

As a medic, Martina organised a presentation of the German Eurofighter by the German flight surgeon for her Australian fellow serviceman and women from the medical unit.

Bundeswehr/Jan Hartmann

For Corporal Martina B., who otherwise works at the Australian Medical Centre, this is already the second exercise with German soldiers. Already during Pitch Black 2022, she acted as a liaison officer for German and Australian servicemen and women. For Martina, who was born in Germany, this function is a positive change from her daily duty, giving her the opportunity to be among fellow Germans again and to qualify for further exchange assignments. 

Coordination on the airfield 

In addition to all the coordination between the many different exercise participants, an air force exercise also requires coordination in the air and on the airfield. This is where Squadron Leader Nicolas Downward comes into play: as air traffic controller, he ensures that air traffic runs smoothly at the civilian and military airport in Darwin. To this end, Squadron Leader Downward, in his primary function as the training commander of the military air traffic controllers, ensures that everyone in the tower is up to date when it comes to training. Air traffic control officer Downward on the challenge of Pitch Black 24: 

“Since there is no flying unit that is permanently stationed in Darwin and the airport is mainly used for civilian purposes, the challenge for us air traffic controllers during the exercise is to integrate military air traffic into civilian air traffic. Even though military air traffic clearly takes priority during exercise operations, this is not so easy to coordinate since, according to the daily exercise scenarios, 50 to 60 military aircraft are to land in Darwin again at short intervals. During the exercise, we thus have an average of 580 flight movements – take-offs and landings – per day which need to be coordinated, and these movements are not regularly distributed throughout the day but partly occur in waves.”

A soldier is standing in the control room of a tower.

As office in charge, Squadron Leader Downward ensures that everyone in the tower is up to date when it comes to training.

Bundeswehr/Cora Mohrdieck

Integration of foreign aircraft types into the exercise

What is new for the air traffic controller is that, during the air force exercise, he coordinates aircraft types that he has not yet guided through the airspace. Experience helps him to better assess the different flight characteristics, such as the speed of the aircraft, and to incorporate this when coordinating take-offs and landings. For example, the German A400M transport aircraft causes a large wake turbulence effect that could endanger other aircraft, which must be taken into account while coordinating air traffic from the tower.

Nicolas notes: “So far, there have been no problems with the German pilots in terms of communication and the integration into flight operations is running very smoothly. It is a pleasure to work with the Eurofighters and the A400M.”

The interview with the tower controller was conducted in English and translated into German.

  • A soldier observes the airfield from the tower.

    The air traffic control officers ensure that the Pitch Black 2024 exercise scenario does not come to a halt on the runway.

    Bundeswehr/Cora Mohrdieck
  • Three soldiers stand in a semicircle holding a cap.

    Country liaison officers Martina and Nick of the Royal Australian Air Force are the link between the German contingent and the host nation. On the German side, the first sergeant often acts as the interface.

    Bundeswehr/Christian Timmig
  • This picture shows the left shoulder of a blue-patterned uniform and a black-red-gold armband with the inscription “CLO”.

    The armband identifies the CLOs for all exercise participants.

    Bundeswehr/Christian Timmig
by Cedric  Kortenbruck

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