Whose Name We Share

82 2020 2020 saw great disruption to training as the Coronavirus pandemic interrupted most opportunities to integrate with the community, the Marines and to conduct live fire exercises. Thankfully, the battery was able to attend Exercise Koolendong to achieve the interoperability they were quickly becoming known for. Combined howitzers from the 103 rd Battery and Kilo Battery from the MRF-D fired approximately 1200 rounds during the exercise in Mount Bundey. Three American and three Australian M777s answered the calls for fire, providing valuable training to each battery’s observers as they learnt each other’s proforma for calling for fire. The difference in procedure, structure and flow was eye opening to the 103 rd ’s FSO Lt. Noack. Lt. Noack mentioned that the American system of command and control was more centralised, giving a good indication of how a unit might operate in a large scale confrontation. FSO Lt. Noack oversaw the direction of digital missions alongside his American counterpart and before missions reached the combined gunline they had to be deferred to either the American CP or the Australian CP, which took a lot of tinkering and caused some delays. In previous years this was overridden by the use of voice, however this year’s emphasis was all digital. Lance Bomabrdier Brock Rawson, a CP supervisor, became something of an American Whisperer who understood American technology well. Having trained the previous year with the US he was able to troubleshoot many problems on the Australian end. After a few years in a row of working with the Americans the digital missions were able to take place without ever having to speak a single word on the radio. On the gunline, the gunners of the 103 rd integrated with Kilo Battery and vice versa, offering a few gunners each in an exchange-like basis in the field environment. Gunners were able to witness and understand the ways in which each battery operates as well as trade advice and training in order to refine skills. They also shared in meals, traded various items and formed friendships that ensure the future success of the RAA on ventures like these.