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Members of the Australian Army’s 176 Air Dispatch and Air Force’s No. 36 Squadron airdropped equipment from a C-17A Globemaster as part of Operation Southern Discovery, supporting the Australian Antarctic Program’s science campaign at Denman Glacier.
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According to Defence, the task required support from 14 air dispatchers and four parachute riggers to airdrop construction equipment and stores weighing 10,470 kilograms to Bunger Hills in Antarctica.
It is hoped that the equipment will support climate research and identify the impact of a changing climate on the Denman Glacier.
Air dispatcher Private Jack Brook explained to Defence that the team spent two weeks rigging the delivery systems to ensure the success of the mission.
“While in Hobart, we rigged loads that were quite new to the team due to the requirements in Antarctica,” PTE Brook explained.
“It required a few calculations, cutting different shaped packages for energy dissipating material and working with low-cost aerial delivery systems.
“With this mission we faced new challenges, from learning new rigging styles to learning new procedures that had been previously tested.”
Aerial delivery is the preferred method of transporting equipment to Antarctica, resulting in less environmental damage and ameliorating degradation to equipment.
Lieutenant Colonel Marcus Luciani, ADF liaison officer at the Australian Antarctic Division, explained that the airdrop will enable the Division to undertake the important two-year research operation.
“The Bunger Hills airdrop delivered the camp stores to a remote site deep in the Australian Antarctic Territory to enable the Australian Antarctic Program to begin preparations for a two-year science campaign at the Denman Glacier,” LTCOL Luciani said.
“The ADF provides a number of airdrops and air-land operations every summer season to deliver not only expeditioners, including scientists and logistic support personnel, but also cargo and machinery to further enable the program.
“The C-17A Globemaster gives the ability to move people and equipment in and out of Antarctica really quickly and gives the program the opportunity to make the most of every summer season.”
