Kandahar Mobile Control and Reporting Unit

RAAF Mobile Control and Reporting Unit deployed to Kandahar Air Field mid-2007, and was established as the RAAF Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) in August 2007.

In April 2007 the Australian government announced its intention to deploy an RAAF air surveillance radar capability to Kandahar. A detachment from 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit RAAF based in Darwin, from the Surveillance and Response Group will deploy to Kandahar Air Field. 114MRCU is equipped with AN/TPS-77 mobile phased array radar. In August the RAAF Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) took over control of Kandahar airspace from the United States.

The operators of the CRC successfully concluded their two year mission in support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and have handed control back to the United States Air Force.

Government sources

Air Force Takes Operational Control of Southern Afghanistan Skies, Media Release CPA 235/07, Defence, 5 August 2007,

“A 75-strong RAAF detachment formally took over management of a portion of Afghanistan’s operational airspace. RAAF’s Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) are undertaking 24/7 operations from Kandahar Airfield. RAAF personnel are responsible for air space management and air surveillance tasks over southern Afghanistan. CRC is also responsible for coordinating air to air refuelling.”

Kandahar Control and Reporting Centre AN/FPS-77 Tactical Air Defence radar

"The newly installed Air defence Radar for the RAAF Control and Reporting Centre at Kandahar Airfield in Southern Afghanistan is an impressive sight as it stands atop ‘Radar Hill’, with the USAF Radar in the background. (Date taken: 17 July 2007)". 03 August 2007<br /> Air Defence Radar for the RAAF Control and Reporting Centre, Op Slipper Images, Department of Defence. http://www.defence.gov.au/opslipper/images/gallery/20070803/20070707adf8161441_006_lo.jpg

“The newly installed Air defence Radar for the RAAF Control and Reporting Centre at Kandahar Airfield in Southern Afghanistan is an impressive sight as it stands atop ‘Radar Hill’, with the USAF Radar in the background.”

Source: Department of Defence, July 2007.

More Troops for Afghanistan, Prime Minister, John Howard, Media Release, 10 April 2007

“An RAAF air surveillance radar capability (about 75 personnel) will deploy to Kandahar Airfield, where it will assume control of a portion of Afghan operational air space from mid-2007.”

Prime Minister’s visit to RAAF Base Williamtown, Latest photos, Department of Defence, Australia, 18 April 2007

“SRG (Surveillance and Response Group) members will make up the majority of a RAAF deployment to Afghanistan, announced on 10 April. The detachment of about 75 personnel will manage the combat air operations over an assigned area of Afghanistan. The RAAF detachment will provide continuous air surveillance of the assigned area, and coordinate all coalition combat air operations in that area. This deployment will give Australian ACOs the opportunity to demonstrate that capability and also develop and expand on their knowledge and relationships with Coalition partners. The detachment will be based at Kandahar Airfield and will take over from a US squadron in mid year.”

Tarakan Parade, Department of Defence, Australia, 3 May

“Members of 114 MCRU (No 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit) will soon be deploying to Kandahar Airport, Afghanistan. The detachment’s task will be to manage the combat air operations over an assigned area of Afghanistan.”

Surveillance and Response Group, Royal Australian Air Force

“Surveillance and Response Group has over 2100 personnel spread across Australia working in the following areas:
* No 41 Wing (Air Defence)
* No 42 Wing (Airborne Early Warning and Control)
* No 44 Wing (Air Traffic Control)
* No 92 Wing (Maritime Operations).

“No 41 Wing (41WG) based at RAAF Base Williamtown, commands all of the Air Defence operational and training units. Spanning across Australia, these units include 3 Control and Reporting Unit (3CRU) and Surveillance and Control Training Unit (SACTU) located in Williamtown; 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit (114 MCRU) in Darwin and 1 Radar and Surveillance Unit (1 RSU) in Adelaide. SACTU provides the training for Air Combat Officers and Air Surveillance Operators to enable them to perform effective air battle management and surveillance operations. 41 Wing headquarters is chiefly responsible for tasking of its subordinate units in order to provide continuous wide-area surveillance, airspace control and execution of air battle management operations.”

AN/TPS-77 phased array radar manufactured by Lockheed Martin. No. 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit RAAF is equipped with the AN/TPS-77.
Source: AN/TPS-77, Wikipedia (Nick Dowling)

Analysis

Guarding airspace over Afghanistan, Katie Smith, Maitland Mercury, 9 October 2009

During the past two years, Ashtonfield-raised Flight Lieutenant Bradley Evans, currently based at Williamtown 41 Wing unit, has been deployed twice to the city of Kandahar working as part of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) Control and Reporting Centre (CRC).

Flight Lt Evans was one of 400 RAAF personnel deployed in staggered batches since August 2007, charged with managing this busy airspace and providing air battle management tasks over Afghanistan in support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

RAAF personnel were predominately drawn from 41 Wing and subordinate units, including the Williamtown-based 3 Control and Reporting Unit and Surveillance and Control Training Unit, Darwin-based 114 Mobile and Control Reporting Unit (114MCRU), and Edinburgh-based 1 Radar Surveillance Unit.

“It was a little bit surreal being in a war zone. At least twice a week the base would be attacked by the Taliban with rockets at a distance. Many a night were woken up by rocket alarms going off so we would take cover. It was stressful at times but it soon became a normal part of day to day life. We were very well protected at the base and a lot of effort was put into ensuring our safety.”

“The job side was incredibly rewarding. It was the best part of my career so far. We got to execute the training we had been put through at a much higher level than what we had experienced at home. The level of activity was much more intense for a much longer period of time. It’s a lot of responsibility”

The operators of the CRC successfully concluded their two year mission in support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and have handed control back to the United States Air Force.

Air Force Takes Operational Control of Southern Afghanistan Skies, Media Release CPA 235/07, Defence, 5 August 2007

A 75-strong RAAF detachment formally took over management of a portion of Afghanistan’s operational airspace. RAAF’s Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) are undertaking 24/7 operations from Kandahar Airfield. RAAF personnel are responsible for air space management and air surveillance tasks over southern Afghanistan. CRC is also responsible for coordinating air to air refuelling.

Kandahar Mobile Control and Reporting Unit

Government sources

Analysis

See also