Improved training facilities for South Australian Defence

Two Abrams tanks from the Darwin-based 1st Armoured Regiment move through the Cultana Training Area near Whyalla in South Australia, in preparation for the following day's live-fire Combat Training Centre (CTC) Heavy Battlegroup activity. photo www.defence.gov.au

February 25, 2011 SHEPARD GROUP

Senator David Feeney, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, today toured Cultana Training Area in South Australia.  The expansion of the Cultana Training Area is critical for Joint and Combined Arms training for Defence and for Army’s 1st Brigade.  An expanded Cultana Training Area also enables future air to ground, ground to air and ship to shore training activities. A total commitment of $59.5 million in upgrade works will be particularly important to the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR), which was established at Edinburgh earlier this year. Among Defence’s suite of training areas, the terrain at Cultana most closely resembles that of Afghanistan.  The Training Area consists of small arms ranges, a demolition range, field and driver training areas and a mock Afghan village.