[Australia]: Operation Resolute

[Owen]

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OPERATION RESOLUTE​

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Objective:	Patrols of Australia's Borders and Exclusive Economic Zone
Date:	20 November 1999 - Present
Location:	Mainland Australia, Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island, Lord Howe Island, Coral Sea Islands, Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Status:	Ongoing

BELLIGERENTS​

Australia Australian Border Force Royal Australian Navy Royal Australian Air Force Australian Army Australian Federal Police Australian Fisheries Management Authority Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service Australian Security Intelligence Organisation New South Wales New South Wales Police Force Victoria Victoria Police Queensland Queensland Police Service Western Australia Western Australia Police Force South Australia South Australia Police Tasmania Tasmania Police Northern Territory Northern Territory Police Force

People Smugglers Drug Smugglers Illegal Fishermen

COMMANDERS AND LEADERS​

Kim Beazley (Prime Minister) Ros Kelly (Minister for Home Affairs) Penny Wong (Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) John Faulkner (Minister for Defence) Jason Clare (Minister for Justice and Customs) Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg (Commissioner of the Australian Border Force) Admiral Chris Barrie (Chief of the Defence Force) Rear Admiral Chris Oxenbould (Chief of Joint Operations) Vice Admiral David Shackleton (Chief of Navy) Air Marshal Ray Funnell (Chief of Air Force) Lieutenant General Peter Cosgrove (Chief of Army) Commodore Christina Ween (Senior Naval Officer Northern Australia) Commissioner Tony Negus (Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police) Dennis Richardson (Director-General of Security) Commissioner Catherine Burn (Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force) Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon (Chief Commissioner of the Victoria Police) Commissioner Bob Atkinson (Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service) Commissioner Barry Matthews (Commissioner of the Western Australia Police Force) Commissioner Malcolm Hyde (Commissioner of the South Australia Police) Commissioner Richard McCreadie (Commissioner of the Tasmania Police) Commissioner Paul White (Commissioner of the Northern Territory Police Force)

None

STRENGTH​

Australian Border Force Maritime Border Command: Australian Border Force Marine Unit: ABFC Ashmore Guardian (16x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers) ABFC Triton (40x Border Force Officers) ABFC Roebuck Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers) ABFC Hervey Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers) ABFC Holdfast Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers) ABFC Arnhem Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers) ABFC Dame Roma Mitchell (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers) ABFC Botany Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers) ABFC Corio Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers) ABFC Storm Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers) ABFC Oceanic Viking (65x Border Force Officers, 10x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers) Australian Coastal Surveillance Organisation (Coastwatch): 10x de Havilland Canada DHC-8-200 Dash 8s (40x Border Force Officers) JOINT TASK FORCE 639 (NORTHERN COMMAND):​ Royal Australian Air Force Maritime Patrol Group: No. 92 Wing, Detachment B: No. 11 Squadron (100x Regular Personnel, 4x Lockheed AP-3C Orions) Royal Australian Air Force Surveillance and Control Group: No. 41 Wing: No. 1 Radar Surveillance Unit (200x Regular Personnel) No. 2 Control and Reporting Unit (Northern Region Operations) (200x Regular Personnel) No. 3 Control and Reporting Unit (Eastern Region Operations) (200x Regular Personnel) Australian Army 1st Division: 6th Combat Support Brigade: North-West Mobile Force (NORFORCE) (500x Regular Personnel, 10x Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles) Pilbara Regiment (500x Regular Personnel, 10x Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles) 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment (500x Regular Personnel, 10x Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles) Royal Australian Navy Patrol Boat Group: Attack Division: HMAS Armidale (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Larrakia (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Bathurst (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Albany (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) Assail Division: HMAS Pirie (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Maitland (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Ararat (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Broome (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) Ardent Division: HMAS Bundaberg (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Wollongong (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Childers (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Launceston (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) Aware Division: HMAS Maryborough (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Glenelg (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Gawler (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns) HMAS Cessnock (21x Regular Personnel, full rounds for Rafael Typhoon gun and 2x 12.7mm machine guns)

Unknown

CASUALTIES AND LOSSES​

None

None

 

[Owen]

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The Operation would get underway with 15 Fremantle-class Patrol Boats. From HMAS Melville in Darwin the following vessles would depart to their designated patrol zones, all patrols would be operated on a 6 month basis, that is they will change crew after 6 months. Replenishment will be done at local ports and facilities as they will remain close to the Australian shoreline, within the EEZ:

• Attack Division:
  • HMAS Fremantle (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Wollongong (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Cessnock (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Gawler (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Dubbo (22x Regular Personnel)
• Assail Division:
  • HMAS Geelong (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Warrnambool (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Launceston (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Geraldton (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Bunbury (22x Regular Personnel)
• Australian Border Force:
  • ABFC Ashmore Guardian (16x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers)
  • ABFC Triton (40x Border Force Officers)
  • ABFC Roebuck Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers)
  • ABFC Hervey Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers)
  • ABFC Holdfast Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers)
  • ABFC Arnhem Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers)
  • ABFC Dame Roma Mitchell (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers)

HMAS Fremantle, Wollongong, Cessnock, Gawler and Dubbo along with ABFC Roebuck Bay and ABFC Hervey Bay would all be patrolling the north-western coastline between Darwin and Exmouth, Western Australia (within PH, OH and OG). This would include the Timor Sea and Indian Ocean. HMAS Geelong, Warrnambool and Launceston along with ABFC Holdfast Bay would be patrolling the northern coastline between Darwin and Torres Strait including the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Arafura Sea (within PH and QH). HMAS Geraldton and ABFC Arnhem Bay would be deployed to Christmas Island and HMAS Bunbury and ABFC Dame Roma Mitchell would be deployed to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, doing patrols around those islands and within their EEZ. ABFC Ashmore Guardian would be deployed to the Ashmore and Cartier Islands patrolling in and around the waters there. ABFC Triton would be stationed in the Timor Sea and would act as a command vessel. All ships would be fully stocked with ammunition and necessary supplies. They would dock as needed in designated ports (Exmouth, Port Hedland, Karratha, Broome, Darwin, Nhulunbuy, Karumba, Nanum, Home Island and Flying Fish Cove). They would complimented by 7 de Havilland Canada DHC-8-200 Dash 8s from Coastwatch who would fly missions out of Darwin and Broome on an occasion basis. Usually there would be at least one aircraft in the air. They would mostly be on call out only though when surveillance was needed.

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From HMAS Cairns in Cairns the following vessles would depart to their designated patrol zones, all patrols would be operated on a 6 month basis, that is they will change crew after 6 months. Replenishment will be done at local ports and facilities as they will remain close to the Australian shoreline, within the EEZ:

• Ardent Division:
  • HMAS Townsville (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Whyalla (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Ipswich (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Bendigo (22x Regular Personnel)
  • HMAS Gladstone (22x Regular Personnel)
• Australian Border Force:
  • ABFC Botany Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers)
  • ABFC Corio Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers)
  • ABFC Storm Bay (12x Border Force Officers, 3x Australian Fisheries Management Authority Officers)

HMAS Townsville, Whyalla, Ipswich and Bendigo along with ABFC Botany Bay and ABFC Corio Bay would be patrolling up and down the Queensland coastline between Torres Strait and Brisbane within the EEZ, stretching outwards to encompass all of the Territory of the Coral Sea Islands (within QH and QG). They would occassionally visit such islands for routine patrols. HMAS Gladstone and ABFC Storm Bay would be deployed to the Torres Strait (within QH), patrolling the islands in and around the strait and engaging with the local Torres Strait Islanders and PNG Navy. All ships would be fully stocked with ammunition and necessary supplies. They would dock as needed in designated ports (Cairns, Thursday Island, Townsville, Mackay, Gladstone, Hervey Bay and Brisbane). They would complimented by 3 de Havilland Canada DHC-8-200 Dash 8s from Coastwatch who would fly missions out of Cairns on an occasion basis. Usually there would be at least one aircraft in the air. They would mostly be on call out only though when surveillance was needed.

At RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide, four AP-3C Orions would be prepared to fly from Edinburgh to RAAF Base Darwin (PF -> PG -> PH) where they would be stationed as apart of No. 92 Wing Detachment B. They would be rotated on a 6 month basis between No. 10 and No. 11 Squadron. The first rotation would be four from No. 11 Squadron. They would usually operate unarmed except for life rafts and sonobuoys in the torpedo tubes. They would only be armed on patrols when warranted. They would regularly patrol out of RAAF Base Darwin to the designated patrol area (Exmouth to Brisbane coastline, Coral Sea Islands, Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands) as purely surveillance missions.

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ABFC Oceanic Viking would be prepared from its base in Hobart, it would have 65 Border Force officers onboard and 10 Australian Fisheries Management Authority officers. It was a relatively large ship and would be tasked with patrolling the southern coastline of Australia and Macquarie Island (apart of Tasmania). It would depart Hobart and head east towards Macquarie Island (QE -> QD -> RD). From there it would stay for a while and then head west along the southern Australian coastline (RD -> QD -> QE -> QF -> PF -> OF) before heading back to Hobart to change crew and replenish (OF -> PF -> QF -> QE). This would be spread out over a few months. There would be enough fuel and supplies to last them at least 4 months.

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At least one Australian Federal Police officer would be onboard every vessel in order to provide for the necessary arrest powers if it is required.

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Another crucial element of Operation Resolute was the deployment and patrols conducted by the Regional Force Surveillance Units. These units form part of 6th Combat Support Brigade and consist of: North-West Mobile Force (NORFORCE), Pilbara Regiment and 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment (51FNQR). They each consist of: 500x Regular Personnel and 10x Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles. NORFORCE is broken up into Arnhem Squadron, Centre Squadron, Darwin Squadron and Kimberley Squadron. Pilbara Regiment is broken up into 1st Squadron, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Squadron and 4th Squadron whereas Far North Queensland Regiment is broken up into A Company, B Company, C Company and D Company. They each had a designated area of northern Australia to which they would patrol. NORFORCE is focused on the Northern Territory and Kimberley Region of Western Australia. Pilbara Regiment is focused on the Pilbara Region of Western Australia and 51FNQR is focused on Far North and North West of Queensland. NORFORCE is based out of Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin, Pilbara Regiment out of Taylor Barracks, Karratha and 51FNQR out of Porton Barracks, Cairns. They would operate regular patrols out of these areas. Arnhem Squadron would patrol Arnhem Land and the eastern part of the Top End, Darwin Squadron would patrol the western part of the Top End, Centre Squadron would patrol the inland parts of the Northern Territory and Kimberley Squadron would patrol the Kimberley region. As for Pilbara Regiment and 51FNQR there would be no designated areas where the Squadrons/Companies patrol but would be generalised across the battalion/regiment patrol area.

NORFORCE Patrol Area

Pilbara Regiment Patrol Area

51FNQR Patrol Area
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The units draw on a long-time practice in Australia of using Aboriginal trackers. Indigenous skills of patrol, pathfinding and outback survival have a proud record in Australia assisting colonial and modern-day law enforcement and military operations. As a result, a high proportion the RFSUs' personnel are Indigenous Australians, making the Australian Army one of the largest single employers of Indigenous Australians. NORFORCE has the highest proportion of Indigenous soldiers, with 60% of the unit's personnel being Indigenous. About 30% of 51FNQR's personnel are Torres Strait Islanders or other Indigenous Australians. The Pilbara Regiment has relatively few Indigenous soldiers. The RFSUs' are highly regarded by many Indigenous community leaders as the units provide employment and training opportunities to young Indigenous people living in remote communities.

These units would begin patrols as apart of Operation Resolute and would be using the vast majority of its manpower at a single time patrolling some of the most remote areas of northern Australia. They would be driven around in Bushmaster PMVs for the most specialist and rugged terrain.

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DEPLOYMENT OF ASSETS WOULD BE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, PRECISE LOCATIONS OF DEPLOYMENTS WOULD BE CLASSIFIED, GENERAL AREA WOULD BE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE (i.e. Northern Coastline, Southern Ocean, etc.).​

 

[Owen]

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The new Armidale-class Patrol Boats would be commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy and the Fremantle-class Patrol Boats would be decommissioned. As a result, new patrol boats would now operate as apart of Operation Resolute. The Attack and Assail Division would be based out of Darwin and would patrol the northern coastline of Australia, from the northern Kimberley coastline, the Timor Sea, the Arafura Sea, the Gulf of Carpentaria up to the Torres Strait. Ardent Division would remain the same, patrolling the northern Queensland coastline, the Coral Sea and the Torres Strait. A brand new division, Aware Division would be based out of a new naval base called HMAS Advance at Dampier, Western Australia, the satellite port city of Karratha. This division would be tasked with patrolling the Pilbara coastline up to the western Kimberley coastline and down the Gascoyne coastline, including the Rowley Shoals. It would also take regular visits out to Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands and the Ashmore and Cartier Islands. This division would protect vital natural gas and oil reserves and operations off the Pilbara coast and the vital inland iron ore mining operations.

A new area of operations would also be established as apart of Operation Resolute, this being the Malacca Strait, an important shipping lane in south-east Asia which is notorious for pirates, people smugglers and drug smugglers. Two Lockheed AP-3C Orions would operate as apart of No. 92 Wing, Detachment A from the Hat Yai Royal Thai Air Force and would conduct regular patrols of the Malacca Strait, unarmed with only life rafts and sonobuoys onboard but can return to Hat Yai to be armed if necessary.

 

[Owen]

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With the Declaration of War by Turkey on Australia, Operation Resolute would partially turn into a national defence operation. As the operation was all about ensuring the integrity of Australia's borders, namely against criminals, it would now include attention to ensuring the integrity of Australia's against foreign states, namely Turkey and possibly Saudi Arabia. Western Australia was the clearly the state in the line of attack from nations in the Middle East, along with the territories of Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. South Australia and the Northern Territory would also be considered "vulnerable". An attack on the east coast was less likely, due to its distance and the chance of a foreign actor being detected before it reached that point. Already large areas of Western Australia and the two Indian Ocean territories were patrolled by forces deployed to Operation Resolute, namely the Aware Division of the Navy Patrol Boat Group and the Pilbara Regiment in the Pilbara and Gascoyne Regions and the North-West Mobile Force in the Kimberley Region. It was decided that to ensure the integrity of Western Australia against attack, the Army Reserve brigade which was based in Western Australia: 13th Brigade, would be called up for full active duty as apart of Operation Resolute. This was public knowledge. Their areas of operations would not be. The elements of 13th Brigade include:

• 10th Light Horse Regiment (Western Australian Mounted Infantry) (1,000x Reserve Personnel)
• 11th Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment (City of Perth Regiment) (1,000x Reserve Personnel)
• 16th Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment (Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) (1,000x Reserve Personnel)
• 28th Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment (Western Australian Rifles) (1,000x Reserve Personnel)
• 3rd Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (Fremantle Regiment) (250x Reserve Personnel)
• 13th Combat Engineer Regiment (Goldfields Regiment) (250x Reserve Personnel, 30x Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles)
• 13th Combat Signals Regiment (Swan Regiment) (250x Reserve Personnel)
• 13th Combat Service Support Battalion (250x Reserve Personnel)

The 10th Light Horse, 11th Battalion and 13th Combat Signals Regiment would have responsibility over the Perth metropolitan area and Peel Region. The 16th Battalion would have responsibility over the Mid West, Gascoyne and Wheatbelt regions. The 28th Battalion would have responsibility over the South West and Great Southern Region and the 13th Combat Engineer Regiment would have responsibility for the Goldfields-Esperance Region, more so on the Esperance side (the coast).

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The Royal Australian Navy would secretly also increase patrols to the Western Australian coastline where Aware Division wasn't patrolling, deploying the following ships from Fleet Base West to patrol along the coastline up to Shark Bay and across to Esperance:

• HMAS Brisbane (Perth-class Destroyer: 310x Regular Personnel, 40x RIM-66 Standard MRs, 6x Mark 46 torpedoes, 40x Ikara anti-submarine missiles, full rounds for 2x 5"/54 calibre Mark 42 guns and 2x Phalanx CIWS, 70x Mark 36 SRBOC decoys, 4x Nulka decoys)
• HMAS Darwin (Adelaide-class Frigate: 185x Regular Personnel, 40x RGM-84 Harpoons, 32x RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles, 6x Mark 46 torpedoes, full rounds for 1x OTO Melara 76mm gun, 6x .50 calibre machine guns and 1x Phalanx CIWS)
• HMAS Arunta (Anzac-class Frigate: 165x Regular Personnel, 8x RGM-84 Harpoons, 64x RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles, 6x Mark 46 torpedoes, full rounds for 1x 5"/54 calibre Mark 45 gun, 6x .50 calibre machine guns, 2x .50 calibre Mini Typhoons and 1x Phalanx CIWS, 70x Mark 36 SRBOC decoys, 4x Nulka decoys)
• HMAS Swan (Anzac-class Frigate: 165x Regular Personnel, 8x RGM-84 Harpoons, 64x RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles, 6x Mark 46 torpedoes, full rounds for 1x 5"/54 calibre Mark 45 gun, 6x .50 calibre machine guns, 2x .50 calibre Mini Typhoons and 1x Phalanx CIWS, 70x Mark 36 SRBOC decoys, 4x Nulka decoys)

The Royal Australian Air Force would secretly also deploy the remaining 5 AP-3C Orions of No. 10 Squadron that weren't currently on deployment from RAAF Base Edinburgh to be stationed temporarily at RAAF Base Pearce outside Perth.

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Whilst the Australian Defence Force was the lead agency against armed invasion and the defence of Australia, the Government of Western Australia and its agencies namely the Western Australia Police Force (WAPOL), the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) and the State Emergency Management Committee along with the private organisation St John Ambulance Western Australia who were contracted by the state government to provide Ambulance services in Western Australia would have a role to play protecting civilian lives and property. There was a likelihood of ballistic missile attacks on Western Australia and therefore the Government of Western Australia was taking no chances, moving to a heightened state of readiness for its emergency services. The Western Australia State Emergency Service would be the lead civil defence agency and would work in conjunction with other elements of DFES, WAPOL and St John should they be needed. The Western Australia Police Force would ready itself to potentially be used in defending civilians and to collect vital intelligence as the lead state security and intelligence agency. DFES agencies and St John Ambulance would prepare for potential rescue operations and a large amounts of fires resulting from bombs and missiles. Urban Search and Rescue exercises would be undertaken in Perth, Bunbury, Geraldton, Broome, Karratha and Port Hedland by the Western Australia Fire and Rescue Service, the Western Australia Volunteer Fire and Emergency Service and the Western Australia State Emergency Service. The State Emergency Management Committee would be the lead agency for coordinating the State Government response to any emergency and WAPOL would active and lead the State Operations Command Centre, consisting of personnel from DFES, St John and WAPOL.

State Operations Command Centre in Perth




Urban Search and Rescue exercises in Perth
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Emergency warning systems across WA would be tested for their preparedness.

Axis12

 

[Owen]

With the invasion of Laos by Thailand, Australian forces deployed to Thailand operating patrols of the Strait of Malacca as apart of Operation Resolute would now withdraw. 4 Boeing 707s would fly to Hat Yai Royal Thai Air Force Base from RAAF Base Amberley to pick up the 2nd/30th Training Group and the personnel of Air Force support elements stationed there. The 2 AP-3C Orions would make their way back to RAAF Base Darwin. 2 C-17 Globemasters also from RAAF Base Amberley would travel to Hat Yai to pick up the Air Force vehicles which were stationed there, taking them to RAAF Base Darwin and doing a few trips back and forth. The Thai Air Force would be let known about this.

Bossza007

 

[Owen]

All forces deployed in Western Australia as apart of home front preparations to defend from a Turkish or Saudi Arabian attack would return to base. The 13th Brigade would be demobilised and reservists would return home to their families. The AP-3C Orions which were deployed would be sent back to RAAF Base Edinburgh and all ships, HMAS Brisbane, Darwin, Arunta and Swan would return to Fleet Base West in Perth. The State Operations Centre would be demobilised and all Western Australian emergency services which were stood up and conducting activities would resume normal duties. Operation Resolute would return to being a solely border security focused operation.