Rockhampton Movements 2011

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Presume the following a/c arriving at Richmond over the last 3 days are related to this exercise:

On Thursday MC-130H 83-1212 arr as BIRD11
On Friday MC-130H 84-0476 arr as BIRD12
We also had C-17A 98-0056 arr and depart as TREK107
Today 2 MP-130's arr, 69-5826 as JAKAL99 and not long ago 69-5832 as KOJAK11.

Love these callsigns

[damian f]

Excellent Peter - I hope we see them up in Queensland like last Exercise!

Another forum has info suggesting one of the main attractions for Central Qld (Rocky) the USS Essex may not come at all - it is stuck in Japan for 'operational reasons'... USAF Hercs may make up for this!

Anyway a report from Saturday 9/7

Hundreds of locals turned out for the Talisman Sabre 2011 Open Day at the Showgrounds. There was no US equipment, but a vast range of ADF military equipment was on show including Recovery Vehicles, Armoured Vehicles, a Kalmar Container Handler, an Abrams Tank, an Armoured Personel Carrier, a Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo Vehicle. Airborne assets included Sikorsky S70A-9 Blackhawk helicopter (A25-224), Eurocopter EC665 Tiger (ARH) Helicopter (A38-008), and Westland Sea King Mk.50A "Shark 10" (N16-125).

At Rockhampton Airport, military movements were limited with a couple of Army Eurcopter EC665 Tiger helicopters and Sikorsky S70A-9 Blackhawk helicopters flying sorties to Shoalwater Bay.

Other movements included...
- Another Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Westland Sea King Mk.50A arriving as "Shark 07" making it N16-118.
- Three Australian Army Commonwealth CA-32 (Bell 206B/OH-58A) Kiowa helicopters arrived from the South as "Redback 38". These were A17-038, A17-051, A17-014. These Kiowas joined A17-027 which went for a test flight late in the afternoon after being stuck in Rockhampton with maintenance issues.
- Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed C-130H Hercules returned and left again as "Trojan 06".
- United States Navy (USN) Lockheed C-130T Hercules 165349 (Tail Code RU5349) of the VR-55 Unit, which returned to Rockhampton briefly, arriving and departing as "Convoy 7901".

Reports may dry up for a bit now as I head back home tomorrow, but I should be back next weekend!

Photos as always are on the CQ Plane Spotting Blog - http://cqplanespotting.blogspot.com/

Cheers
Damian

[Craig Murray]

Fantastic update Peter, your eyes on Richmond are appreciated from an excitement starved Queensland!

Originally Posted by Peter Agatsiotis

MC-130H 83-1212 arr as BIRD11
MC-130H 84-0476 arr as BIRD12

These MC-130H Combat Talon II Herc's are operated by the 15th Special Operations Squadron out of Hurlbert Field in Florida.

15th SOS Factsheet

Their mission is:

The 15th Special Operations Squadron (15th SOS), located at Hurlburt Field, Fla., is one of nine flying squadrons within the 1st Special Operations Wing. The squadron flies the MC-130H Combat Talon II. Specially modified to support unconventional warfare and special operations forces worldwide, the Combat Talon II is capable of penetrating a hostile environment at low altitudes and in inclement weather.

The Combat Talon II is a derivative of the C-130H Hercules modified for special operations. The mission of the aircraft involves a global, day and night, adverse weather capability to insert, extract and resupply special operations forces by low or high altitude airdrop or airland operations.

Originally Posted by Peter Agatsiotis

MC-130P 69-5826 as JAKAL99
MC-130P 69-5832 as KOJAK11

These arrivals were MC-130P Combat Shadow's operated by the 67th Special Operations Squadron based at RAF Mildenhall in the UK.

352nd Special Operations Group (to which the 67th SOS belongs)

Here is a little info on what the 67th SOS does:

67th Special Operations Squadron (67th SOS) operates the MC-130P Combat Shadow using night vision goggles to provide long-range, low-level infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces in hostile or denied territory. The squadron also enables combat search and rescue, medical evacuations, and assists with humanitarian operations. The squadron's and crew's aircraft are uniquely capable of providing clandestine air refueling support to special operations helicopters and tilt rotor aircraft.

Given the USS Essex has returned to Japan and allegedly transferred its "507 Marines, 23 Helicopters and 6 Jets" back to shore (allegedly!) I am hoping the 67th SOS find something else to offer "clandestine air refueling support" to!

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Cheers Craig, very interesting sqn profile.

Remember Mildenhall well, lots of C-130's logged there.

I did log 69-5827 at RAF/USAF Woodbridge in 1971 but it would have been a std C-130H in those days (fairly new).

[Mark M]

Hey Damian, Craig and Peter, very interesting thread am intrigued about how come about getting the destinations of the RAAF herc's and C-17's do they show up on a plane tracker or did they get clearance you heard locally ?? Would love to know if it is a plane plotter especially during Antartic flying season over here in NZ so I could watch out for the Globemaster moving back and forth. Cheers Mark

[damian f]

Mark I hear the clearances but do not post too much info...

Meanwhile, it's been a relatively quiet start to Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011 at Rockhampton Airport this week.

Monday 11/7, most of the action was confined to the Australian Army helicopters that have been parked at Rockhampton Airport.

Eurocopter EC665 (ARH) Tiger and Sikorsky S70A-9 Blackhawk helicopters were noted flying sorties out of the Airport. One Blackhawk, A25-212, was photographed receiving some attention - one engineer wore a full protective suit, while A25-203 was noted operating circuits around the airport from a temporary landing site on the other side of Rockhampton Airport. Also arriving into Rockhampton Airport during the afternoon was more Australian Army Kiowa helicopters, A17-028 and A17-032.

On Tuesday 12/7 there was yet again a lot of helicopter movements, but there was a couple interesting fixed wing movements during the day.

Australian Army Sikorsky S70A-9 Blackhawk A25-203 was again doing circuits around the Airport. This was later joined by Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Westland Sea King Mk.50A - serial N16-118 - also operating cicuits as "Shark 07". There was also some winching practice performed by Blackhawk A25-112.

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Beech B350 Super King Air A32-670 from 38 Squadron popped into Rockhampton Airport as "Dingo 30".

United States Marine Corps (USMC) Lockheed KC-130J, 167983 (Tail Code QD-983) of the VMGR-152 Unit arrived from and departed back to the North.

Photos as always on the Blog - http://cqplanespotting.blogspot.com/

Damian

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Another C-130 arrived at Richmond yesterday, C-130H 74-2070 as TREK111.

3 of the Herc's have been operating at low level and found that 84-0476 is using MANGE11 and not BIRD12.

[Dave Dale]

There is a 737 AWACS on the ground at Rockhampton right now.

[damian f]

A couple of more quiet days in Rockhampton over the last couple of days - well that has been spotted anyway!

Wednesday 13/7
United States Marine Corps (USMC) Lockheed KC-130J, 167983 (Tail Code QD-983) of the VMGR-152 Unit paid another quick visit.
Also Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7ES (BBJ) AWACS "Wedgetail" aircraft performing a missed-approach onto Runway 15. The aircraft was noted using the callsign "Wedgetail 05" making the serial of the aircraft A30-005. Not sure if one was actually on the ground Dave??

Thursday 14/7
Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Westland Sea King Mk.50A - serial N16-239 - "Shark 21" was noted alongside sisterships N16-125 ("Shark 10") and N16-118 ("Shark 07").
RAN Sikorsky S-70B/SH-60 Seahawk N24-009 arrived and departed as "Tiger 78".

Plenty of helicopter sorties both days as well - Kiowa, Blackhawk, and Tiger.

Photos as always on the CQ Plane Spotting Blog - http://cqplanespotting.blogspot.com/

Cheers
Damian

[Dave Dale]

Damian,

I must confess I didn't see it on the ground although did see it on approach and then take off from the airfield. I assumed it to be on the ground. I will make certain next time...

Dave