1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/01/2003   
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Contents >> Defence >> Operations

With tasks and responsibilities stemming from Australia’s commitment to the international coalition against terrorism, its ongoing security roles in East Timor and Bougainville, and its role in the interception of illegal immigrants and in the maintenance of border integrity, Defence is at its highest level of activity since the Vietnam War. Defence also has personnel involved in United Nations and other peacekeeping missions around the world: in the former Yugoslavia, the Sinai, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Middle East. This high operational tempo will continue, with the Government making a strong commitment to strengthen Australia’s defences, fight the war against terrorism and further protect Australia's borders.

Tables 4.1-4.3 detail current ADF operations which are ongoing in nature. (For further details of ADF operations, see the operations tables in Chapter 2 of the Defence Annual Report 2001-02 or the Portfolio Budget Statements 2003-03, both available at http://www.defence.gov.au/budget.)


4.1 AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE, Major operations(a)

OperationObjective

Slipper
October 2001 - continuingTo contribute to the United States-led operation against international terrorism.
Damask
1991 - periodic and continuingTo contribute to the Multinational Maritime Interception Force in the Persian Gulf in support of United Nations sanctions against Iraq.
Belisi II
April 1998 - continuingTo support the Peace Monitoring Group in Bougainville by contributing specialist medical, logistic, communications and transport capabilities.
Citadel
May 2002 - continuingThe ADF contribution to the Post-Independence UN Mission of Support in East Timor.

(a) Correct as at 30 August 2002.

Source: Department of Defence.


4.2 AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE, Surveillance and regional operations(a)

OperationObjective

Relex I and Relex II
September 2001 - continuingTo conduct air and surface patrols across Australia’s northern approaches to deter unauthorised boat arrivals. Operation Relex 1 ceased on 14 March 2002 to enable information concerning the operation to be declassified for the Senate Select Committee on a Certain Maritime Incident.
Gaberdine
August 2001 - continuingTo provide support to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs to manage any increase in unauthorised boat arrivals.
Cranberry
August 2001 - continuingTo conduct surveillance in northern Australia supporting the civil surveillance program within the area of operation.
Estes
1980 - continuingTo conduct surface patrols in Bass Strait. Since the successful implementation of the Bass Strait traffic separation scheme, there has been no requirement for ADF surface patrols to continue; however, RAN ships regularly transit the area.
Gateway
1981 - continuingTo conduct aerial surveillance of the northern Indian Ocean and South China Sea approaches to Australia.
Mistral
1998 - continuingTo support Australian sovereign rights and fisheries law enforcement in the Southern Ocean by contributing to the Southern Ocean fisheries patrols.
Solania
1988 - continuingTo contribute to South West Pacific regional engagement via aerial fisheries patrols.
Prowler
1996 - continuingTo collect military geographic information in northern Australia.

(a) Correct as at 30 August 2002.

Source: Department of Defence.


4.3 AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE, Non-regional operations(a)

OperationObjective

Paladin
1956 - continuingTo contribute to the United Nations Truce Supervisory Organisation in the Middle East. This force of unarmed military observers supervises, observes and reports on the various cease-fire arrangements, truces and peace treaties that have been negotiated between Israel and neighbouring Arab nations since 1948.
Mazurka
1992 - continuingTo provide personnel to the Multinational Force and Observers to monitor the security arrangements in the Sinai.
Osier
March 1997 - continuingTo deploy Army personnel as part of the Stabilisation Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia, and Kosovo Force in Kosovo. In both cases, personnel serve as individuals attached to United Kingdom forces.
Pomelo
January 2001 - continuingTo contribute to United Nations peacekeeping efforts in Africa as part of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia/Eritrea.
Husky
January 2001 - continuingTo contribute to the nation building efforts in Sierra Leone via the International Military Advisory and Training Team.

(a) Correct as at 30 August 2002.

Source: Department of Defence.



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