Military Operations in Western Australia

1. Air Traffic in WA

2. ATC in Australia

3. Geography and Weather in WA

4. Airspace Management over WA

5. Perth Traffic Management Plan

6. Flow Control and Sequencing

7. Military Operations in WA

8. Working at West Radar

9. ATC Training

10. The Controller/Pilot Relationship

There are three main areas of military operations around Perth:

• Pearce Restricted Areas (PEX)

• Stirling Restricted Areas (SNX)

• Lancelin Restricted Areas (LNX)

Pearce Operations
RAAF operations have a major impact on the workload of West Radar. These tend to be hi- and low-level navex's by PC9, Hawke and occasionally, F18 and F111 aircraft.  Various tracking tolerances apply.  For example, PC9's (operated by 2FTS) have navigational tolerances of:

• ±12degrees either side of track;

• ±20nm cross track of nominal track;

• 20nm radius at turning points.

A controller must take these tolerances into account when assessing traffic conflictions.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force conducts low-level navex training at Pearce with a squadron of Sia Marchetti S211 trainers.  West Radar makes a general broadcast of the passage of aircraft on Low Jet Routes on the area frequencies.  PC9's are not jets and are not broadcast.

This table lists the common callsigns operating out of Pearce:

Stirling Operations
Stirling restricted areas are activated by NOTAM.  For scheduled flights (mainly those by South African Airlines), the RAN will accommodate a "transit window" for passage through the area.  If the flight misses the window, lengthy vectoring around the restricted areas will result.

Lancelin Operations
The Lancelin restricted areas are activated by NOTAM.  The range is used for artillery, naval and aerial bombardment by the Australian Army, RAAF, RAN and USN.  The USN often conduct MLJ operations from their carrier on routes south of Geraldton, prior to operations in LNX.  (Other USN low jet routes exist between Busselton and Albany).

"Due Regard" Operations
Beyond the 12nm territorial limit, the RAN and USN aircraft operate with "due regard" to civil operations under Article 3 of the Chicago Convention (1944).  Safety mitigators include operating in VMC and the use of airborne and surface radar.  Generally a NOTAM is issued.  RAN live firing from naval vessels occurs using High Seas Firing Procedures.

MARSA Operations
Certain military operations require aircraft to operate in close proximity in civil  controlled airspace.  In these cases, the aircraft use MARSA (military authority assumes responsibility for separation of aircraft) procedures.  West Radar is still responsible for separating these aircraft formations from other civil and military aircraft.