Helping a Troubled Nation

-The RNZAF in Timor Leste

By Judith Martin

The RNZAF’s No. 3 Squadron detachment in Timor Leste has returned to New Zealand after an 18-month long mission in Dili, Timor Leste. Defence journalist Judith Martin visited the contingent before it left.

When two Australian soldiers tumbled down a rugged cliff-face in a remote corner of Timor Leste recently, seriously injuring themselves, an RNZAF Iroquois was on its way to help within 30 minutes. It was dark, the access was precarious, and word had come in that one of the men had critical head injuries.

‘The “golden hour” – that time when it is vital medical assistance arrives – was the first thought for the flight crew,’ said SQNLDR Ben Pryor, the No. 3 Squadron detachment commander of Task Group Manu in Timor Leste.

The Iroquois and an Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter were soon on the scene, with the aircrafts’ crews working out where to lower their on-board doctor and paramedic teams to the injured men – and where to winch them back on. Once both teams were on the ground, the Black Hawk was able to winch the injured men up into the inky blackness, while the Iroquois sat above the rescue scene and provided a vital communications link back to their Base.

The injured soldiers were airlifted back to Dili, where they were hospitalised. Both are understood to be on the way to full recovery.

‘While rescues like this, where lives have been at risk, have been infrequent in Timor Leste, aero medical evacuations (AMEs) are all in a day’s work for the detachment,’ says SQNLDR Pryor.

‘We are here to support the International Stabilisation Force, but one of our primary roles is to provide 24 hour AME coverage. We always have one aircraft and crew on 30 minutes notice to move.’

The aircraft are also tasked to fly for 80 hours each month, and this time is taken up moving troops, re-supplying Bases, command and control liaison and other ancillary tasks. Most of the medical evacuations have involved injured soldiers, although occasionally the Iroquois have been called on to rescue injured United Nations personnel, or local Timorese. Over the 18 months that No. 3 Squadron has been deployed to Timor Leste on this mission they have conducted 31 AME’s, including 18 flown at night using night vision goggles.

The deployment is SQNLDR Pryor’s third to the troubled island. The first two were in 2000/2001 when he was a junior pilot flying an Iroquois in Suai as part of the New Zealand helicopter detachment working for the United Nations UNTAET mission.

The latest detachment is smaller – six pilots, four crewmen, and 20 maintenance and support staff – and the mission is quite different.

‘The situation in 2000 was a lot more volatile. There was a perceived higher threat level in 2000 – a New Zealand soldier was killed by militia around that time and the peacekeeping forces were occasionally actively targeted. The tempo of our operations was a lot higher then, with four aircraft in theatre. The current mission, in comparison, has a much greater focus on ensuring the stability of the country following the recent elections, and with an emphasis on helping the Timorese develop and provide for their own security.’

That said, however, the current detachment has been kept busy re-supplying the military forward operating Bases in Bacau, Viqueque and Maliana – villages often difficult to access by road, especially in the wet season. The maintenance crew has a record that is said to be the envy of its Australian helicopter counterparts.

‘Our Iroquois have been very reliable on this deployment,’ says SQNLDR Pryor, ‘but equally our maintenance teams work extremely hard to service and repair the aircraft when necessary. They’re very proud of their service record, and don’t like the aircraft to be out of action for a minute longer than necessary. Our maintenance team also carried out a major phase, servicing aircraft within our first month of arriving in-theatre. Despite the added difficulties of being deployed, they completed the servicing quicker than at home. There are fewer distractions here, and the real focus was on getting the job done.’

The detachment is self-contained, and brought with it a container of spare parts, as well as the tool boards and machinery it would normally use on Base in New Zealand.

The high-density altitude makes flying ‘reasonably challenging’, as does the weather. Timor Leste is dissected by a range of mountains, with some peaks reaching close to 10,000 ft, and the weather occasionally precludes the aircraft from getting to some locations.

‘We have to be very aware of how quickly the conditions can change when we visit remote locations.’

SQNLDR Pryor is the last detachment commander – the deployment was due to finish at the end of October to allow the beginning of the transition to the new NH90 helicopters that will come into service between 2010 and 2011 – and says he has enjoyed the operational aspect of his Timor Leste role.

Back in New Zealand, he is a member of the Ohakea-based training flight and instructs student pilots flying either the Sioux or Iroquois.

‘The deployment has been great – there’s nothing like getting out on an operational tour and working as part of a combined Australian and New Zealand aviation element.’

Maintaining Law and Order

A former Army gunner who became an RNZAF pilot, and is now in command of the 180-strong New Zealand contingent in Timor Leste, says his current role is a ‘great opportunity’.

WGCDR Kelly Byrne is the Commanding Officer of the New Zealand forces working in Timor Leste as part of the International Stabilisation Force. This includes Task Groups Manu, Gyro, Kaihanga and Toa, which collectively form Operation Koru.

TG Gyro is the company group of Kiwi soldiers, Kaihanga the five advisors to the Timorese Defence Force, and Toa the United Nations Mission in Timor Leste. Manu is the helicopter detachment.

A one-time transport pilot with the RNZAF, WGCDR Byrne left the Air Force in 1993 and bought a Blenheim vineyard, which he operated for 11 years. He rejoined the RNZAF two years ago, and was based at RNZAF Woodbourne until he deployed to Timor Leste.

He says while the mission is very ‘Army-centric’, having been an artillery officer in the New Zealand Army gives him an insight into how the Army operates.

Timor Leste, he says, is ‘reasonably benign’.

‘Without the benefit of the ISF, I think it would be very easy for law and order to break down again here. Essentially, we are part of an over-arching force, so there is no incentive for vested interest groups to cause trouble. We’re here to help Timor Leste on its way to full democracy.’

Mentor to Timorese Children

LAC Braden Grant is an aircraft technician with the No. 3 Squadron detachment in Timor Leste. In his off- duty hours he doubles as a sports coach and something of a mentor to a large group of local Timorese children.

‘They climb the fence and call out “Brady, Brady, come and play!” So I grab a soccer ball or a Frisbee and we have a bit of fun. I really look forward to it actually.’ LAC Grant has a six-year-old brother at home, so playing with the local children is second nature. Aged 23, and in the Air Force for five years, Timor Leste is his first operational deployment. At home he plays soccer and touch rugby, and is a representative harrier.

He has enjoyed his time in Timor Leste, although he says the heat made working conditions ‘very different’ from home. ‘But I love the heat and the new culture and people. It has been an eye-opener for me, a really great experience.’

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