Australian Army Tiger ARH and MRH-90 Helicopters Arrive at Rockhampton Airport

Preparations for the joint-Military Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015 (TS15) and Australian Army Exercise Hamel continued at Rockhampton Airport on Sunday 14 June with local plane spotters treated to the arrival of five Australian Army Eurocopter (ARH) Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters and four NH Industries MRH-90 Multi-Role Helicopters from Townsville.

The Tigers - flown by the 1st Aviation Regiment based at Darwin - were identified as A38-016, A38-022, A38-013, A38-012 and A38-008 and possibly flew from Townsville via Mackay where it is believed they stopped for fuel.  The five Tigers were heard flying under the single callsign of "Marlin 11".

Then just after dusk, four unidentified MRH-90s landed after also calling into Mackay for fuel while flying South from Townsville.  They were heard to use the radio callsigns of "Pegasus 11", "Pegasus 12", "Pegasus 13" and "Pegasus 14".

It is believed that a pair of unidentified Australian Army Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopters also flew South with the MRH-90s and were also noted calling into Mackay to take on fuel while heading to Rocky.  However, at the time of writing, one of the Chinooks remains parked at Mackay, while the other departed Mackay but did not land at Rockhampton.  They were heard using the radio callsigns of "Pegasus 15" and "Pegasus 16".