76SQN find it’s easy to simulate

Strike Role

By Andrew Stackpool

FLTLT Mathew Michell, front, and Navy’s CAPT William White after a flight.

Photo by LAC Andrew Eddie

SQUADRON Leader Nick Osborne, from No. 76 Squadron, believes his hard-flying Hawk crews were not fazed by challenges to simulate other aircraft types during Exercise Ocean Protector.

“We fly at speeds very similar to the F5 and Jaguar, so it didn’t affect us as much as some of the others. The simulated weapon fits, including ASMs, do affect our profiles, but only to a limited degree. Simulation is pretty easy. We are tasked and then go ahead and do it,” he said.

Exercise Ocean Protector provided the Hawks the chance to do what they do best: fly low and strike hard.

“It provided good exposure to large formations and different configurations – exposure and experience. It exposed the younger guys right from the start. As the exercise built up, we built up the exposure. They flew every day and each time they gained enough to do the next one.

“For us, the exercise graduation was more about aircraft numbers; the tactics stayed the same. We provided a pretty rigorous challenge to the fleet, provided most of what we were tasked to and achieved our aims by supporting the exercise.”

The squadron drew on its closeness with the Navy.

“We have a couple of guys in the unit who have done lots of this before, including at the NAS. Also, we have two former RNZAF A4 pilots who were based at [HMAS] Albatross.”

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