ArMy PreSence in South AuStrAliA - Defence SA

92. Defence assets do not need to be permanently
collocated with the strategic assets they are
intended to protect. Indeed, with a vast area
to protect and relatively few Defence assets,
it would be foolhardy to even try, and those
assets would inevitably be defeated in detail.
Indeed, a force permanently deployed to a
remote location, which itself may be highly
exposed, would create a major defence
vulnerability. This would especially be the
case if the soldiers were deployed to such a
location with their families that in turn needed
to be protected.
93. Rather, establishing viable mounting bases
some distance from potential threats drawing
on the local population for support and
deploying forward from a firm base when
needed offers excellent defence of Australia
and its interests. Indeed, a well sustained
and supported force is likely to operate more
effectively when deployed if their families
are not likely to be subjected to attack.
Building a strong base for the sustainment
of a force deployed elsewhere is an effective
way of subsequently projecting capability as
required. While this approach relies on force
elements located in southern Australia being
familiar with northern Australia to maintain
capability, this does not necessarily require
the permanent basing of all those elements
where one day they may need to fight.
94. The current basing of 92 Wing at RAAF Base
Edinburgh epitomises this ‘base south and
deploy north and west’ approach. From a
secure and viable base in South Australia,
the Wing has forward deployed the AP-3C
Orion maritime patrol aircraft for many years.
Australia has been able to effectively project
its maritime surveillance capability across the
air-sea gap to the north and west of Australia
and maintained an effective and reliable
strategic capability.
AP-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft from the Adelaide-based 92 Wing fly en route to their patrol in north west Australia for operations over the
northern approaches to Australia in 2009.
39 Army Presence in South Australia Maintaining the Momentum 2012