U.S. – Australia Relations
The Australian Defence Force's response to September 11
Canberra — 6 September 2002
MSPA 463/02
TIME LINE OF EVENTS
Immediately after the horrifying events of September 11, Australia offered practical assistance to the United States and military support within the limits of our capability and other commitments. In the days immediately after the attack, Australia expressed its resolute support for the US in its determination to bring the perpetrators to justice, as well as expressing concern and sympathy for the victims and their families.
14 September, 2001
Three days after the attack on the World Trade Centre, the ANZUS treaty was invoked for the first time.
The Government took the view, in consultation with the United States, that Article IV of the ANZUS Treaty applied to the terrorist attacks on the United States. This action was taken to underline the gravity of the situation and to demonstrate our steadfast commitment to working with the US in combating international terrorism.
18 September, 2001
The Australian Defence Force (ADF), in conjunction with Lockheed Martin, conducted a C-130J Hercules flight in support of relief operations in New York. The aircraft was in the US for software development as part of the C-130J acquisition project. With emergency response personnel mobilised all over the US, the Australian Government was asked to make the aircraft available to transport US personnel from Atlanta to New York.
RAAF personnel, currently on exchange with US forces, had been involved in flying combat air patrols over the continental US. ADF exchange personnel attached to the United States were authorised to deploy with US forces on operations, both inside the US and abroad. At the time, there were 295 ADF personnel serving in the US which included embassy staff, trainees and personnel on courses - 75 RAN, 130 RAAF and 90 Army.
ADF personnel deployed with US units perform a wide variety of duties in combat and combat support functions, including:
- pilots and weapons systems officers attached to fighter, bomber, tactical airlift and maritime surveillance units;
- army personnel attached to infantry, aviation and special forces units; and
- seaman officers, pilots and warfare officers attached to US naval vessels.
Australia continues to assist the US through our intelligence capabilities up to this moment.
19 September, 2001
The Royal Australian Air Force 80th Anniversary Amberley Air Show at RAAF Amberley and the Centenary Naval Review on Sydney Harbour were cancelled.
20 September, 2001
The Government agreed to the deployment of Australian Defence Force exchange personnel attached to operational United Kingdom forces as part of coalition counter-terrorist operations. The UK had also indicated support for any US led counter terrorist operations.
Approximately 44 ADF personnel were deployed at the time on long-term exchanges with UK forces. These personnel perform a wide variety of duties in combat and combat support positions, including:
- Service on UK naval vessels
- Aircrew and support personnel with operational RAF squadrons
- Army personnel deployed in a wide range of combat formations in the British Army
A further 112 ADF personnel were at the time attached to UK units as part of Exercise Long Look 2001, an annual short term tri-service exchange.
21 September, 2001
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Defence announced resumption of defence links between Australia and Pakistan. Defence relations between the two countries were suspended following Pakistan’s nuclear tests in May 1998.
Australia welcomed the Government of Pakistan’s forthright stand in support of international anti-terrorist efforts. The decision to lift the measures was viewed as one way of demonstrating Australia’s support for Pakistan’s stand against terrorism at a critical time. The Government’s decision enabled defence establishments of the two countries to re-establish their links and Pakistan agreed to the return of an Australian Defence Attache to Islamabad.
11 October, 2001
HMAS Sydney departs Sydney for Sea exercises prior to departing for the Persian Gulf.
17 October, 2001
The Governments of Australia and the United States agreed on the details of Australia’s military contribution to the US.
Prime Minister of Australia outlines Australia’s contributions to the international coalition against terrorism.
Under this agreement, Australian forces operate under Australian national command and in support of the coalition against terrorism, and in operational taskings are placed under the control of the appropriate coalition commander for agreed tasks.
This deployment was authorised by the National Security Committee of Cabinet.
The Government made the following military forces available to the coalition against terrorism:
- Two P-3 long-range maritime aircraft to augment coalition maritime patrol and reconnaissance capabilities.
- Australian special forces detachment to deploy to selected locations as decided by Chief of the Defence Force, in conjunction with coalition force commanders, to conduct combined operations.
- Two B707 tanker aircraft to support air-to-air refuelling operations.
In addition to these forces, the commitment was made up of:
- A naval task group comprising one amphibious command ship with organic helicopter capabilities, and a frigate as escort;
- Four F/A-18A aircraft to provide support for the air defence of coalition forces;
- One frigate, with embarked helicopter capability, to assist in the coalition’s naval protection of shipping effort.
In addition, Australia continued to maintain the presence of a guided missile frigate to support the Multinational Interception Force implementing UN Security Council Resolutions.
22 October, 2001
The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition farewelled members of Australian Defence Force Special Forces Task Group before they departed Australia to assist the United States-led coalition in the fight against terrorism.
31 October, 2001
The guided-missile frigate HMAS Sydney and its ship’s company of 227 was farewelled from Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin, on its way to the Middle East to assist in the enforcement of United Nations sanctions against Iraq (Multinational Interception Force).
8 November, 2001
A nationwide Ecumenical Church Service was held to commemorate the victims of the September 11 attack.
HMA Ships Adelaide and Kanimbla departed from Fleet Base West to take part in the Multinational Interception Force.
9 November, 2001
Four F/A-18 Hornet pilots and ground crew departed from RAAF Base Williamtown to deploy as part of the Australian contingent joining the international coalition against terrorism.
24 November,2001
HMAS Anzac returns from the Persian Gulf.
27 November, 2001
The remaining soldiers from the Special Forces Task Group, deploying as part of Australia’s contribution to the coalition against terrorism, departed from Perth. These 120 soldiers were the balance of the force, bringing the total number of the task group to 150 personnel.
3-8 January, 2002
Australian Navy’s Task Group Commander CAPT Allan Du Toit assumes command of the Multinational Interception Force (MIF).
11 January, 2002
Defence Minister Robert Hill met with US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in the United States to discuss the progress of the international coalition against terrorism.
The meeting with Secretary Rumsfeld was part of a 12-day schedule that also included Senator Hill meeting with his British counterpart in London and United Nations officials in New York.
Senator Hill also met Australian Defence Force personnel deployed to the Middle East before returning to Australia.
24 January, 2002
Defence Minister Robert Hill announced the appointment of Brigadier Gary Bornholt as the Australian Force Commander in command of the Australian contribution to the international coalition against terrorism.
Brigadier Bornholt replaced Brigadier Ken Gillespie in a planned rotation of personnel in March.
HMA Ships Manoora and Newcastle departed Sydney to join coalition against terrorism as part of a planned rotation.
17 February, 2002
A member of the Australian Army special forces operating in Afghanistan, SGT Andrew Russell, was killed in southern Afghanistan.
The soldier died from wounds he received when the vehicle he was travelling in struck an anti-vehicle mine.
F/A-18 personnel were welcomed home from coalition forces duty at RAAF Williamtown.
25 February, 2002
HMAS Canberra departs Fleet Base West to join the Multinational Interception Force in the Persian Gulf.
2 March, 2002
Coalition forces, including members of the Australian Special Forces Task Group, commence Operation Anaconda. This operation was the largest coalition offensive operation in Afghanistan since the deployment of coalition forces into the country in late 2001. Australian personnel played a key role in the conduct of the operation, which involved some 2000 US, coalition and Afghan personnel.
7 March, 2002
Defence Minister Robert Hill met with his Indonesian counterparts and senior defence and military officials in Jakarta.
Discussions focused on Australia and Indonesia’s defence relationship and regional terrorism issues, particularly the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia and the Indonesian Director General of Social Cultural Relations and Foreign Information.
13 March, 2002
HMAS Adelaide welcomed home to Fleet Base West.
15 March, 2002
The Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence officially farewelled the first Boeing 707 logistics personnel to deploy as part of Australia’s commitment to the International coalition against terrorism from RAAF Base Richmond.
28 March
HMAS SYDNEY was welcomed home by hundreds of family and friends following her five-month deployment as part of Australia’s commitment to the international coalition against terrorism. During her 105 days in the area of operation, SYDNEY’s crew conducted 30 UN inspections of merchant traffic as they transited in and out of Iraq, as well as ten non-compliant boardings.
On the same day, Defence Minister Robert Hill officially farewelled the next rotation of Special Forces Task Group personnel, deploying to the Middle East as part of Australia’s commitment to the international coalition against terrorism.
The personnel farewelled replaced those who deployed from Australia in November 2001, including those who were involved in Operation Anaconda.
3 April, 2002
The Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the United States Ambassador to Australia welcomed members of the Special Forces Task Group including those who served with distinction during Operation Anaconda at a closed ceremony at Campbell Barracks, Swanbourne, WA.
4 April, 2002
HMAS Kanimbla returns to Fleet Base East, in Sydney.
9 April, 2002
16th Air Defence Regiment welcomed home at Woodside barracks, Woodside in Adelaide.
19 April, 2002
Six months after it announced its initial commitment, the Australian Government renewed its pledge to support the international coalition against terrorism, saying that Australia was in for the long haul.
In consultation with the coalition forces leadership, the Government decided that from mid-year Australia’s military commitment to the coalition against terrorism would continue primarily through our Special Forces, deployment of 707 air-to-air refuellers and the Navy’s contribution to the Multinational Interception Taskforce.
One of Australia’s 707 air-to-air refuellers was deployed to Manas in Kyrgyzstan, with the second departing Australia soon after. The 707s are continuing their work as part of a planned six-month deployment.
A Royal Australian Navy Task Group provided a valuable contribution to the Multinational Interception Force (MIF) in the Persian Gulf and potential support to prosecution of the war in Afghanistan.
After the planned mid-year rotation, Australia would maintain two Navy frigates in the Gulf with HMAS Newcastle and HMAS Canberra being replaced by HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Arunta. The amphibious landing ship HMAS Manoora would return from MIF duties in June to allow for important maintenance work.
The RAAF F/A-18 fighter aircraft completed their deployment in the middle of the year having provided air defence for coalition forces at the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.
The Government’s initial commitment of RAAF P3C surveillance aircraft was postponed as the P3C fleet was by then due for important upgrade work. Australia signalled its intention to the coalition forces that this capability would again be available for potential deployment at the completion of this upgrade work.
30 May — 1 June, 2002
Defence Minister Robert Hill visited Malaysia and Singapore for talks on important global and regional security issues, including the international campaign against terrorism.
In Kuala Lumpur, Senator Hill met his Malaysian counterpart, Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib, to discuss the regional strategic outlook and how Australia and Malaysia can work together in response to security threats such as terrorism.
Senator Hill then participated in the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ inaugural Asia Security Conference, which brought together for the first time defence ministers of the Asia Pacific region, including the United States and Canada, with their key European counterparts, in the presence of leading analysts, to discuss key security trends. Senator Hill met a number of his colleagues, including United States Deputy Secretary for Defense Paul Wolfowitz (representing Secretary Rumsfeld), Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani, Indian Defence Minister Fernandes and Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tony Tan.
10 May 2002
Defence Minister Robert Hill and then Chief of the Defence Force, Admiral Chris Barrie visited Australian troops in Afghanistan. During their visit Senator Hill and Admiral Barrie were briefed on ongoing operations and had a short visit with the troops on the ground. The Bagram leg was the second stage of the visit, which yesterday took Senator Hill and Admiral Barrie out to HMAS Manoora serving in the Gulf with the Multinational Interception Force.
14 May, 2002
The Government committed an extra $194 million in the 2002-03 Budget for the Operation Slipper deployments of personnel, naval, land and air assets to the war against terrorism. This was on top of the extra $330 million provided in the 2001-02 Additional Estimates in February and brought the total allocation to $524 million.
The Budget also included an allocation of $219.4 million over four years to effectively double Australia’s counter-terrorist capabilities with the establishment of a second Tactical Assault Group (TAG) to be based on the east coast at Holsworthy, complementing the existing group located in Western Australia.
The establishment of a permanent Incident Response Regiment (IRR) within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) was also announced in the 2002-03 Budget.
The TAGs are highly trained special forces units that are capable of countering terrorist activities in the maritime and land environments. The IRR will be capable of responding to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive (CBRNE) incident.
Australia’s capacity to respond to national security threats in any guise were enhanced with an injection of $150.2 million over four years to address chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) incidents. Defence was allocated $121 million over the next four years to make permanent its capability to respond to CBRNE incidents through the IRR.
This spending covered the Defence, Health, and Attorney-General’s portfolios to ensure that Australia is able to deal with all aspects of a CBRNE incident — from detection and defence against attack, to treatment of those affected and removal of the threat.
More than $41 million extra for security measures in 2002-03 was allocated to improving day-to-day protection for Defence personnel and facilities.
This funding is in addition to the $27 million provided to increase Defence security at 2001-02 Additional Estimates. All Defence establishments had been on a heightened security status since September 11.
16 June, 2002
Defence Minister Robert Hill announced that a third rotation of Special Forces Task Group soldiers would deploy to Afghanistan in August as part of Australia’s ongoing contribution to the international coalition against terrorism.
24 June, 2002
HMAS Arunta’s crew were farewelled by Fran Kilgariff, Mayor of Alice Springs, HMAS Arunta’s adopted city. The ANZAC class frigate, HMAS Arunta, replaced another Western Australian based ship, HMAS Canberra, in the Persian Gulf.
More than 200 family and friends farewelled the ship from Fleet Base West. This was the second rotation of Navy elements as part of coalition operations following the initial deployment last year.
3 July, 2002
Royal Australian Air Force personnel were welcomed home to RAAF Base Richmond from duties with the international coalition against terrorism.
Aircrew and support personnel aboard the returning B707 had spent the past months conducting air to air refuelling operations out of Manas airfield in Kyrgystan. Their work involved refuelling aircraft such as French Mirages and US F/A-18s over northern and southern Afghanistan.
16 July, 2002
Defence Minister Robert Hill travelled to Krygyzstan and the United Kingdom for talks on Australia’s commitment to the War on Terror.
Senator Hill first flew to Manas in Krygyzstan where the Royal Australian Air Force has two 707 air-to-air refuelling aircraft working with coalition forces to refuel air combat jets flying over Afghanistan.
This was Senator Hill’s first visit to a dedicated RAAF operation. Between 850 and 1300 Australian Defence Force personnel were serving in operational areas in Afghanistan, Krygyzstan and the Persian Gulf at any one time.
During his visit, the Minister toured the Ganci Air Base and spoke to RAAF personnel regarding their role and operating experiences in Krygyzstan. He then headed to the United Kingdom to meet UK Secretary for Defence Geoffrey Hoon.
23 July, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Rowan Tink, the outgoing Commander of the Australian Special Forces Task Group in Afghanistan, was honoured by the United States Army and awarded the United States Bronze Star for his outstanding contribution to Operation Enduring Freedom. Lieutenant Colonel Tink took command of the Task Group in late January and commanded it during Operation Anaconda, in March, when Australian Special Forces soldiers distinguished themselves in combat alongside US forces.
Operation Anaconda, conducted in southeastern Afghanistan, involved a sustained effort to rid the country of Al Qaeda elements that posed a threat to the Interim Afghan Authority and Coalition forces.
2 August, 2002
The guided missile frigate, HMAS Canberra returned home to Fleet Base West, Garden Island, after an absence of six months at sea as part of Australia’s contribution to the international coalition against terrorism.
30 August, 2002
The Governor-General and Chief of Army welcomed home the second rotation of Special Forces soldiers from Afghanistan. A third rotation left Australia earlier in August.
Original document from www.defence.gov.au.
Last update: Tuesday, 15 December 2009 GMT+1100
