Talisman Sabre 09
 

Found some info on another forum and hereby acknowledge its origin and poster of information, if any of you guys are interested.

6-26 July

Looks like there will be plenty to see for people on the top end! Hope someone there is able to get some pics when it eventually comes around

I'm now tossing up whether to go to townsville for the thunderbirds(?) or head up to darwin for a week?. I'd be looking forward to see the F'15s do what they did at Williamtown last year! Chest rattling!

TS09 Draft Basing / Participation

Darwin

8 x RAAF F-18

12 x USAF F-15C

6 x USAF KC-135

1 x USAF E3 AWACS

2 x USN COD

2 x USN HH-60H

C-17 / C-130 Transits

Tindal

8 x RAAF F-111

12 x RAAF F-18

1 C-130

2 x USAF C-17

C-17 / C-130 Transits

Townsville

2 x RAAF P-3

2 x RAAF DH4

1 x USN P-3

12 x USMC F-18

2 x USMC KC-130

C-17 / C-130 / KC-10 Transits

Rocky

2 x RAAF DH4

2 x USN MH-53E

C-17 / C-130 Transits

Amberley

C-17 / C-130 Transits

Richmond

6 x RAAF C-130

2 x USAF C-130J

2 x USAF HC-130

1 x USAF C-130E

Andersen (Guam)

2 x USAF B-52 participating

Looks good a couple of trips to Richmond sound good during this time.

Richmond should be good for sure. I'll be on hols then too so anytime suits me! Just wish i could find out when things will start moving through there that's all.

If Pitch Black is anything to go by, it'll be great. Was more Aircraft at Pitch Black however.

Official website for the Exercise is:

http://www.defence.gov.au/opEx/exercises/ts09/index.htm

Over the course of a weekend spent in Rocky during TS07 there were some fantastic movements. The highlight for me were the CH-46 Sea Knights!

There were 2 x Greyhounds from the US Navy (USS Kittyhawk) and 2 KC-130's from the US Marine Corps based at the airport for the duration of the exercise and we were told there had been countless other US and RAAF movements.

We're heading up for a week this time around and my hope is that I'll finally get to see a CH-53 Sea Stallion in action and from the local forces some Caribou movements would be ace. Any helo movements would be viewed favourably!

Brisbane was a hive of activity during TS07 with 3 x KC-135 and 1 x E-3 Sentry based out of the old International apron area. There were also ad hoc movements by other US military types both prior, during and post Exercise. All aircraft fly daily with the E-3 generally departing in the morning and returning in the afternoon around sunset.

Williamtown, from memory, was home to a USN Orion that made the daily trek North to be part of the goings on.

I have no doubt that this thread will grow in size and be one of the most informative and interesting for this year.

Any idea when we can start seeing some movements up the top end and if any along the east coast with it being under a month till kick-off now?

I was going to make a comment about movements usually happening at the bottom end, but thought better of it...oops too late!

The foreign stuff should start arriving in the week before the exercise kicks off. RAAF Hornets and Pigs should start ramping up before that as they have famil flights over the exercise areas and practice blue force package flying.

Thanks Andrew. I'll wait a little while longer then.

Do they normally fly in direct to say Amberley and the other northern bases or will they use places like Brisbane/Richmond/Williamtown as fuel stops from Hawaii?

Hey Gerard when you decide what dates you want to head out give me a yell and if i am off i will come out.Thanks Andrew

As Craig said above, you'll see some of the heavier metal at airports and air bases throughout the exercise. They won't refuel when coming "from" Hawaii or wherever, but they might on the way home if they're really heavy.

No problem Andrew. When i can find out when things will start moving through Richmond then i'll let you know when i'm thinking of heading out.

Well, the only update i seem to have is that there appears to be one USN Herc in Brisbane and that some of the ships are on their way to Australia at the moment. Here is a pic of USS Essex, Denver and Tortuga stocking up before they departed Japan this week. They are en-route now.

Link

Anyone else know of anything happening considering it getting rather close now.

Cheers
Gerard

Speaking of the USN Herc currently in Brisbane, it is C-130T with the serial 164993. Pic follows for your perusal:

http://craigmurray.gallery.netspace....NE_21JUN09.jpg

Cheers Craig. Hopefully you and the other people in Brisbane will keep us well informed and filled with pictures over the time, was kinda hoping to make it up there but i already blew my K. Dudd bonus already.

For anyone that is going to be in the Rockhampton area on July 5, the council along with the Australian and U.S defence forces are holding a TS-09 open day. Between 1pm and 6pm in the local streets (see attached link for details).
2:30pm at Riverside Park there will be a Caribou flypast. Followed by a flypast of the F-111 complete with Dump and Burn display at 5:30 in the same location.
Get in and see these two aircraft whilst you still can i reckon! Times not on their side anymore.
http://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov....aspx?id=16709

Anyone know of any aircraft movements for TS yet?

Cheers
Gerard

The USS Essex and Tortuga came to Cairns as Townsville was too busy in port. Today I was lucky enought to get a hookup for a tour.

Here are some pics from the flight deck. A close up look at the Harriers was pretty cool.

The two F-111's departed Amberley at 1530, I believe they also did a fly past of the Queensland Air Museum in Caloundra at 1600.

A8-125 and A8-142 were the aircraft involved in todays flight utilising the callsign Savage 1 (A8-125) and Savage 2 (A8-142). A8-125 is of note as it was the first F-111 to arrive in Australia in 1973. I believe this aircraft will go to the RAAF Museum at Point Cook upon retirement.

C-17 A41-207 was also operating some flights, presumably for cadets, down to the Gold Coast and back as Stallion 60.

Some pictures of the movements follow, they aren't great but they suffice to document the event.

http://craigmurray.gallery.netspace....L60_050709.jpg

http://craigmurray.gallery.netspace....0_050709_2.jpg

http://craigmurray.gallery.netspace....AV1_050709.jpg

http://craigmurray.gallery.netspace....AV2_050709.jpg

As Peter mentioned in the other thread, a USAF Herc was in the Richmond area this evening. It is from Moody AFB's 71st Rescue Squadron. It is one of three HC-130P's Combat Kings that this squadron is sending to Australia for TS09 along with 53 supporting airmen.
http://www.moody.af.mil/news/story.a...3156940&page=2

Regards

Great shots above Craig.

Noticed Wombat 54 on radar yesterday arvo enroute Rockhampton-Nowra.

Must be one of the last flights for the Caribou.

Regards.

Thanks for that tidbit Paul, much appreciated. I'm hoping there are some Caribou based in Rocky for the exercise and this sort of verifies that this might be the case.

No worries Craig,

Saw Wombat 54 this morning on radar heading back Nowra-Amberley.

Regards.

65-0986 is currently inbound from Rockhampton for Richmond.

I am thing about visiting Richmond tomorrow (Sat morning). Is there likely to be any activity? I would appreciate any advice.

Cheers
Mark

That is a good question.
Does anyone know if the Exercise include the weekend.

Looks as though the other two HC-130P's have arrived. Picked up King 21 - 64-14852 along with King 16 - unknown rego SBS AE1219 up North from the 71st rescue squadron. I think these are three of the Hercs that are going to be based out of Richmond and from what i can gather they seem to be transiting up and down daily at the moment as Craig mentioned earlier. Has anyone got any photos of these birds at Richmond or further north yet?

Not yet Gerard I will be heading out late next week with camera in hand.

Popped out to RIC this morning. All 3 USAF 'Kings' were there.
Need to confirm that one was 63-9810 C130E which also belongs to 71st RQS and could be Hex code AE1219. 65-0986 has moved to the flight line whereas 64-14852 and 63-9810 are parked near the terminal.

I expect they will probably flying during the week so will keep a lookout on Mode-S.

F-15s arrived at Darwin at 4.30pm today

Thanks for the regos of the hercs Peter. I noticed that King 21( 64-14852 which i cant find a picture on the net of anywhere) flew up to Queensland Rocky and back again this afternoon/evening. So i guess Andrew there might be some flying activity on the weekends from Richmond if they are transitting up and back all the time.

Did you manage to get any photos Peter?

Sorry Gerard, no photos as they were parked in 'non-photegenic' positions.

As a rule I don't push my luck with mil photos out there as I used to work on the base and photo's are taboo.

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Peter, are you allowed to take shots of them in the air,Take off's and Landings, from the road that runs along side the base?..........I know they are pretty strict with anything on the ground in the Base, but was wondering about anything in the air?

Cheers,
Jeff.

Jeff, I meant to say - on the ground. Of course there are exceptions during Air shows and Open days etc.

Having said that I saw a few people (incl uniformed!) taking the odd shot on base.

I was there for almost 4 years and had lots of oppurunity to 'break the rules' but didn't. Just not worth the hastle especially after getting security clearance to actually work where I did.

Once they're in the air - different story. Just need to get the position right depending on runway in use.

Peter

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Thanks Peter,

No worries mate, yep I took it that you meant on the ground:), but since taking up Spotting as a hobby I haven't been out to Richmond yet, and I was wondering what the situation was when they were in the air as well, whether or not you still got into trouble for taking shots.

I have a day off tomorrow, but have some buisness to attend to in the morning, but I might try and get out to Richmond in the afternoon if everything goes alright.

Thanks again for the info Peter!

Jeff.

Jeff from what I am lead to believe is that you are not allowed to take photo's of government buildings.So if the plane is in the air or ground but you still have the hangers in the back ground that is a no no but if the aircraft is well in the air and free from any buildings that is OK. I have been there many times with no problem's you just need to show a bit of discretion around the base.

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Thanks a lot for clarifying that Andrew!......much appreciated.

Cheers,
Jeff.

Another Richmond movement today. A C-17 Reach 1822, 07-7187. From Charleston AFB. Not sure whether it is coming or going.

Regards

Is anyone heading out to Richmond today?

King 21 - 64-14852 (AE1221) is up again.

Just had king21 come up on PP it looks like it is in Brisbane somewhere.

My guess is it headed up to Rocky again, looks like it is almost doing this run daily now.

And King 21 is back into YSRI again. Has anyone able to get any photos of it yet, of course making sure that they don't get themselves imprisoned for taking photos of the base structures.