HIGHRANGE TOWNSVILLE FIELD TRAINING AREA, Australia -- Talisman Sabre 2011 progressed to its final week with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 Black Knights continuing to run training scenarios side-by-side with other American and Australian forces here July 25.
Talisman Sabre is a biennial exercise designed to test and improve on Australian and American forces’ ability to conduct joint-combined task force operations. The exercise focuses on improving combat readiness and interoperability of participating units.
American and Australian Forces throughout Queensland, the Northern Territory, and neighboring naval areas have been conducting the exercise since July 11.
During Talisman Sabre 2011, the Black Knights have been conducting scenarios to focus on improving their ability to provide joint closeair support for integrated American and Australian forces on the ground more than 400 miles south from here in Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area, Australia.
Close-air support training involved aerial units’ simulated attacks against aggressors after friendly ground units provided their coordinates to pinpoint the pilots’ attack.
“(The training) is basically just working things out and both participants understand joint close-air support and everything involved with that,” said Capt. John Vaquerano, a VMFA-314 pilot and Section 4 officer in charge. It’s important everyone participating understands the doctrine of close-air support to have a successful mission no matter the situation, he added.
Throughout the exercise, aerial and ground units conducted training in progressive stages. They started with Australian joint terminal attack controllers providing coordinates to the Black Knights, which they then proceeded to drop live ordnance.
Although both participants spoke English, challenges arose along the way.
“There are a few language differences,” said Vaquerano. “Things as simple as they call small ponds or small bodies of water dams — so us, we’re looking for the type of dam we are used to.”
Vaquerano said they have been able to work through differences and believes both sides are becoming more proficient in conducting closeair support operations.
To build on what participating units learned, scenarios involved Black Knights providing close-air support to friendly forces during ground maneuvers or having VMFA-314 F/A- 18 Hornets escort C-17s conducting aerial assaults with paratroopers into an area. Simulated ordnance was used during training due to safety concerns.
Aside from scenarios, VMFA-314 had an opportunity to conduct unit-level training here with 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company Marines based out of Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan.
“This training is good,” said Capt. Kevin Shields, 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company Supporting Arms Liaison Team D leader. “It prepares us for our upcoming deployment and keeps us current as (joint terminal attack controllers). Every six months we need to have a certain number of controls so this keeps us current all through our upcoming deployment.”
During unit-level training here, 5th ANGLICO Marines guided pilots to their targets via radio and a portable lightweight designator rangefinder, which sends a laser to point out the target for the pilot in air. Sometimes smoke, haze and lighting conditions in the area have forced the JTAC Marines to revert back to basic skills.
“We have excellent radio operators, excellent communication Marines,” said Shields. “With the laser going down because of the smoke in the area, we have to fall back to our other skills — just a talk-on instead of using the advanced tools. We just tell them and describe the target via voice.”
The 5th ANGLICO Marines have also had an opportunity to work with their Australian counterparts.
“There have been no problems at all,” said Australian Squadron Leader Rod Whannell, 4th Element Group range safety officer here. “It’s all been good and the Marines have done a tremendous job.”
Whannell said he appreciated the opportunity to work with and see how Marines have conducted their training to learn a slightly different way of doing things.
Other Japan-based service members participating in the exercise include service members from Marine Aircraft Group 12 Headquarters, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Attack Squadron 214, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, Marine Wing Communication Squadron 18 and Marine Air Control Squadron 4.