Exercise Wallaby 2026: RSAF unveils new Australia operations centre for helicopter training

ROCKHAMPTON, Australia — A new operations centre at Rockhampton (ROK) Airport will allow the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to better coordinate helicopter operations and conduct more realistic training during Exercise Wallaby 2026.

Known as the ROK Warriors Den, the facility is being used for the first time this year, replacing the Warriors Camp, which had operated since 2015 in a smaller area near the airport.

Exercise Wallaby, the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) largest overseas unilateral exercise, runs from Sept 6 to Nov 2 at Queensland's Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

This year's exercise involves about 6,000 personnel and 1,200 platforms from the Singapore Army, RSAF and Digital and Intelligence Service.

Exercise Wallaby Frame 3 Air Director Lieutenant Colonel (LT COL) Ng Kehang said the extensive airspace and terrain in Queensland allow the SAF to conduct training that would be difficult to replicate in Singapore.

"The vast airspace and terrain here in Queensland offer us a training canvas that is simply unmatched back home in Singapore, where our airspace is heavily congested and does not allow us to conduct realistic helicopter training," he said.

Dedicated space for helicopter operations

The Warriors Den has a dedicated area within Rockhampton Airport for helicopter operations, allowing aircraft, crews and supporting personnel to be stationed together.

Previously, limited parking at Warriors Camp meant some helicopters had to be based at the airport separately from other assets, making coordination more challenging.

The new site has dedicated concrete parking pads fitted with tie-down points to secure helicopters in Australia's sometimes harsh weather conditions.

" The concrete area is also good for heavy maintenance work by the logisticians to get a pack of cut faster if there are any rectifications to be done," LT COL Ng added.

The facility can accommodate approximately 30 containers, which serve as office spaces, equipment storage areas, and other operational and logistical facilities. It also provides ample space for helicopter parking.

The containers are temporary and will be removed at the end of Exercise Wallaby, leaving the concrete floors clear and ready for the next exercise the next year.

Digital systems to improve air support

Exercise Wallaby is also being used to trial new technologies in response to evolving threats and changes in modern warfare.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday (Oct 21), LT COL Ng said that one trial involves digitally aided close air support, which aims to reduce the time needed to coordinate air strikes requested by ground forces.

Previously, the process relied heavily on voice communications between ground troops and aircraft.

Personnel had to exchange and verify information, including target positions, through multiple steps before a strike could be carried out.

The digital system streamlines parts of this process by allowing information to be shared digitally, improving accuracy and reducing the time between a request for air support and the execution of a strike. Accurate information is critical to reducing the risk of friendly fire.

The RSAF has also trialled launching unmanned aircraft systems from helicopters to extend aircrew's ability to observe areas farther from their aircraft.

This capability could be useful in missions such as search and rescue, where crews may need to assess locations beyond their immediate field of view.

LT COL Ng said the permissive airspace and available land in Queensland allow the SAF to test capabilities that may not be feasible to trial in Singapore.

“Once it is matured and validated, these can be incorporated into our operating concepts and integrate with other services such as Army and Navy as well,” he said.

asyiqin.nadzri@asiaone.com

澳大利亚罗克汉普顿——罗克汉普顿（韩国）机场新建的作战中心将使新加坡空军能够更好地协调直升机作战，并在“袋鼠2026”演习期间进行更真实的训练。

该设施被称为“韩国勇士训练营”，今年首次投入使用，取代了自 2015 年以来在机场附近较小区域运营的“勇士训练营”。

新加坡武装部队（SAF）规模最大的海外单边演习“袋鼠行动”于9月6日至11月2日在昆士兰州的肖尔沃特湾训练区举行。

今年的演习涉及新加坡陆军、新加坡空军和数字与情报部门约 6000 名人员和 1200 个平台。

“袋鼠”演习第三阶段空军指挥官吴克航中校表示，昆士兰广阔的空域和地形使新加坡武装部队能够进行在新加坡难以复制的训练。

他说：“昆士兰广阔的空域和地形为我们提供了在新加坡无法比拟的训练场地，新加坡的空域非常拥挤，不允许我们进行真实的直升机训练。”

专用于直升机作业的空间

勇士基地在罗克汉普顿机场内设有专门的直升机作业区域，允许飞机、机组人员和支援人员一起驻扎。

此前，勇士营的停车位有限，这意味着一些直升机必须与其他资产分开停放在机场，这使得协调工作更具挑战性。

新场地设有专用混凝土停机坪，并配有系绳点，以便在澳大利亚有时恶劣的天气条件下固定直升机。

“混凝土区域也便于后勤人员进行重型维护工作，以便在需要进行任何整改时更快地获得切割好的材料，”吴中校补充道。

该设施可容纳约30个集装箱，用作办公空间、设备存储区以及其他运营和后勤设施。此外，它还提供充足的直升机停机坪。

这些集装箱是临时性的，将在“袋鼠演习”结束后拆除，届时混凝土地面将清理干净，为来年的下一次演习做好准备。

利用数字化系统改进空中支援

“袋鼠演习”也被用来测试新技术，以应对不断演变的威胁和现代战争的变化。

吴中校周三（10 月 21 日）在接受媒体采访时表示，其中一项试验涉及数字化辅助近距离空中支援，旨在减少地面部队请求的空袭协调所需时间。

此前，这一过程主要依赖地面部队和飞机之间的语音通信。

在发动袭击之前，人员必须经过多个步骤交换和核实信息，包括目标位置。

该数字化系统简化了部分流程，允许信息以数字方式共享，从而提高了准确性，并缩短了从请求空中支援到执行打击行动的时间。准确的信息对于降低友军误伤的风险至关重要。

新加坡空军还试行从直升机上发射无人机系统，以扩大机组人员观察更远区域的能力。

这种能力在搜救等任务中非常有用，因为救援人员可能需要评估超出其直接视野范围的位置。

吴中校表示，昆士兰州宽松的空域和可用的土地使新加坡武装部队能够测试一些在新加坡可能无法进行试验的能力。

他说：“一旦这些技术成熟并得到验证，就可以将其纳入我们的作战理念，并与其他军种（如陆军和海军）进行整合。”

asyiqin.nadzri@asiaone.com