Exercise High Sierra has returned to Townsville airspace after an absence of two years in order to graduate the most recent group of F-35A Lightning II pilots. This comes after Exercise High Sierra was previously held in Townsville.
The F-35A Lightning II Operational Conversion Course comes to a close with the completion of Exercise High Sierra, which is a training exercise for the 2 Operational Conversion Unit (2OCU) and the final component of the course.
Wing Commander Philip Eldridge, the Commanding Officer of 2OCU, stated that this was the first time 2OCU had undertaken the exercise at RAAF Base Townsville utilizing the F-35A Lightning II.
Pilots were given the opportunity to get experience flying the F/A-18A/B Classic Hornet during earlier iterations of Exercise High Sierra, which took place in Townsville for the better part of the last 35 years.
When it comes time to graduate students from the program, we do it with a great deal of pride and happiness. They are considered members of the 2OCU team, as stated by Wing Commander Eldridge.
“As a result of participating in this exercise, fast-jet pilots have graduated and are now capable of conducting air combat missions from a forward operating base.
In addition to this, it provides the squadron with practice in the manufacture and delivery of high explosive ordnance onto the training range, which helps to prepare them for large-force employment scenarios.
According to Wing Commander Eldridge, who flew the F/A-18A/B Classic Hornets throughout his time in the Air Force and frequently visited Townsville at that time, the conditions for flying in the region are one of a kind.
It is safe to say that it takes a village to teach a pilot, considering that the exercise that took place at RAAF Base Townsville from June 19 to July 6 involved more than 160 aviators and 19 aircraft.
“The aviators that we have deployed here to support the exercise are all focused on graduating our students with as realistic of missions as we can provide in the aircraft,” said Wing Commander Eldridge.
The F-35A Lightning II aircraft was given the opportunity to integrate with other Air Force assets during Exercise High Sierra. This allowed for the Air Force to practice interoperability tactics, techniques, and procedures.
Aviators from 2 Squadron, flying the E-7A Wedgetail, aviators from 76 Squadron, flying the Hawk 127 Lead-In Fighter aircraft, playing the role of the opponent; 33 Squadron, operating the KC-30A air-to-air refuelling aircraft, and 27 Squadron, providing ground refuelling assistance, all integrated with the F-35A pilots during the High Sierra exercise.
The knowledge and abilities that pilots gained through participation in this exercise will further enhance the delivery of integrated air and space power effects as a component of the combined force.
