Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900 9V-SHD & Garuda Indonesia Boeing B777-300 PK-GIF Both Call into Rockhampton Airport in Support of Exercise Wallaby 2023

The uplift of personnel and equipment out of Rockhampton Airport as The Singapore Armed Forces Exercise Wallaby 2023 (XWB23) draws to a close has well and truly begun with a pair of heavy jet charter flights departing to Singapore late on Sunday 15 October.

Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-951 9V-SHD was photographed arriving into Rockhampton Airport direct from Singapore's Changi Airport as SIA8921.

After loading a full flight of personnel and equipment, it departed back to Changi but as SIA8928.

Then after dark, Garuda Indonesia Boeing B777-3U3(ER) PK-GIF made a one-off final visit, arriving from Jakarta as GIA7771 and then departing to Singapore but as GIA7770.

Of interest, it then appears to be positioning to Lombok and then flying a charter to Melbourne (Tullamarine) and then back to Jakarta.

It is believed that there is one final heavy jet passenger charter flight on Monday 16 October to again be operated by a Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900.

Photos taken by Steve Vit  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2023 - Yet More Heavy Jet Movements at Rockhampton Airport - Royal Brunei B787-8 Dreamliners V8-DLB & V8-DLA - Garuda Indonesia B777-300 PK-GIF - The End of this ‘Wave’!

There were yet more heavy jet passenger charter flights in and out of Rockhampton Airport on Tuesday 26 September in support of the Singapore Armed Forces Exercise Wallaby 2023 (XWB23).

Again arriving before dawn was Garuda Indonesia Boeing B777-3U3(ER) PK-GIF, which arrived yet again from Jakarta and Singapore as GIA8242/7760.  On this occasion however, the B777 then positioned down to Sydney as GIA7761 and remained parked there for the day.

File photo

Then, after dark, PK-GIF returned to Rockhampton Airport from Sydney as GIA7771 before loading a full flight of personnel and equipment, and then departing to Singapore's Changi Airport as GIA7770.

This was the last time in this wave of movements we will see Garuda Indonesia, and PK-GIF ended up flying from Singapore back to Jakarta as GIA8242.

Meanwhile, also visiting Rockhampton Airport on Wednesday again, were the two Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner aircraft V8-DLB and V8-DLA.

VH-DLB arrived from and then departed back to Singapore as RBA4273/4283.

While V8-DLA also arrived from and then departed back to Singapore but as RBA4276/4288.  It later then flew back to Brunei as RBA4288.

At the time of writing, V8-DLB is expected to make one more visit to Rockhampton Airport in the wee small hours of Wednesday 27 September and this will wrap up the second wave of heavy jet passenger charter flights in support of Exercise Wallaby 2023.

The final wave of charter flights will take place in early to mid-October once the exercise has concluded.

Sincere thanks to the local plane spotters for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of a couple of great visitors to Rockhampton Airport.

Photos taken by Steve Vit  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2023 - Massive Monday of Heavy Jet Movements at Rockhampton Airport - Qantas A330-200 VH-EBM - Royal Brunei B787-8 Dreamliners V8-DLB & V8-DLA - Garuda Indonesia B777-300 PK-GIF

It was a massive day of heavy jet passenger charter flights in support of the Singapore Armed Forces Exercise Wallaby 2023 on Monday 25 September.

Perhaps the highlight was the first time visit by Qantas Airways Airbus A330-200 VH-EBM, which arrived from Sydney as QFA6003 and then proceeded to park on Bay Six on the Southern end of the Rockhampton Airport parking apron.

It loaded a flight of personnel and equipment, and then departed to Singapore’s Changi Airport as QFA315. The aircraft later positioned back to Sydney as QFA6016.

There was also a pair of Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, including for the first time this year, VH-DLB, which arrived from Brunei and Singapore as RBA4271/2 and later departed back to Singapore as RBA4282.

While Dreamliner V8-DLA returned to Rockhampton Airport in the late afternoon from Singapore, this time as RBA4275.  After dark, it departed back to Singapore but as RBA4287.

These two Dreamliners are expected to return to Rockhampton Airport one more time on Tuesday 26 September.

Another return visitor to was Garuda Indonesia Boeing B777-3U3(ER) PK-GIF which once again visited Rockhampton Airport before dawn arriving from Jakarta and Singapore as GIA8242/7760 before then departing back to Jakarta as GIA7761.  It has since returned to Singapore and will yet again make an arrival at Rockhampton Airport before dawn on Tuesday 26 September.

Sincere thanks to the local plane spotters for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of a couple of great visitors to Rockhampton Airport.

Photos taken by Steve Vit, John Lee and Ash Burggraaff  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2023 - Garuda Indonesia Boeing B777-300 PK-GIF & Royal Brunei Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner V8-DLA at Rockhampton Airport

The second wave of heavy jet passenger charter flights in support of the Singapore Armed Forces Exercise Wallaby 2023 (XWB23) started just before dawn on Sunday 24 September with Garuda Indonesia Boeing B777-3U3(ER) PK-GIF arriving into Rockhampton Airport from Jakarta and then Singapore’s Changi Airport, as GIA8242/7760.

It looked to bring in a load of personnel and equipment.

PK-GIF then departed Rockhampton Airport for Jakarta as GIA7761. It has since flown back to Singapore again as GIA8242 and is expected to return to Rockhampton airport again before dawn on Monday 25 September.

Meanwhile, after dark, also on Sunday 24 September, Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner V8-DLA made its first ever visit to Rockhampton airport, arriving from Brunei as RBA4285.

It was loaded with personnel and equipment and then later departed to Singapore as RBA4286.

V8-DLA is also expected to return to Rockhampton airport late on Monday 25 September, with another Royal Brunei Dreamliner, V8-DLB, looking like it will also visit Rockhampton Airport, also on Monday 25 September.

It also appears that a Qantas Airways aircraft (possibly an Airbus A330-200) will also complete a charter flight from Rockhampton Airport to Singapore in the afternoon also on Monday 25 September.

A busy day ahead! 

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Sincere thanks to the local plane spotters for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of a couple of great visitors to Rockhampton Airport.

Photos taken by John Lee  ©

Some Photos of The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Helicopters Operating out of Rockhampton Airport and Warriors Camp as Exercise Wallaby 2023 (XWB23) Kicks Off

This week, the latest iteration of the Singapore Armed Force’s Exercise Wallaby 2023 (XWB23) looked to kick off in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) with the various Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) helicopters completing systems check and familiarisation flights around and out of Rockhampton Airport.

Local photographer Steve V has been on hand at Rockhampton Airport at various times during this week and has captured some great photos as the RSAF helicopters took to the air.

Originally completing systems check and familiarisation flights earlier in the week, the RSAF Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters have started completing sorties to Shoalwater Bay and back, flying in pairs or threes during the afternoon and evening.

The Apaches were again heard to be using their ‘usual’ radio callsign of "Avon" and "Astro".

As also mentioned previously, all four Apache helicopters are flown by the RSAF's 120 Squadron "Kestrel" (also known as the "Red Hawks") based at Sembawang Air Base in Singapore. The Squadron is the first and oldest RSAF operational squadron in service, first formed in 1969. The squadron goes by the motto of "Strive To Achieve".

And after deploying direct from their base at Oakey, the RSAF Boeing CH-47F 'Foxtrot' Chinook helicopters also have been completing sorties to Shoalwater Bay and back in various flight formations. These flights also seem to occur from lunchtime through to the evening.

One flight of three returned from Shoalwater Bay and landed at 'Warriors Camp' near Rockhampton Airport suggesting that it will again be utilised as a helicopter landing area during Exercise Wallaby 2023.

It is also believed that two Chinooks have deployed to The Glen Airfield within the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) to act as medical evacuation aircraft.

The Chinooks have been heard to be using their 'usual' radio callsign of "Celtic".

Also as mentioned previously, the Chinook helicopters are flown by the RSAF's 127 Helicopter Squadron which is based at the Sembawang Air Base (SBAB) in Singapore, however as mentioned, with a detachment at Oakey.

The squadron goes by the motto of "Strength, Courage, Swiftness", the motto is supported by the squadron motif, a white horse in full battle armour.

Finally, it is believed that some RSAF General Dynamics (Lockheed Martin) F-16 Fighting Falcon jets and a RSAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules are still to 'deploy' to and remain at Rockhampton Airport for part of the Exercise.

We've also seen that heavy jet troop charter flights have started with as many as 10 more flights expected to bring personnel and equipment in and out of Rockhampton Airport over the coming weeks. It is being reported that Royal Brunei Airlines and Garuda Indonesia will continue with these charters, with the odd Qantas Airways and Singapore Airlines arrival thrown into the mix.

Exercise Wallaby first started in 1990 in Rockhampton and is a Singapore Army exercise based within the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) as well as at Rockhampton Airport. This year will reportedly see as many as 4000 Singapore Armed Forces personnel participate in the Exercise.

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Sincere thanks to local photographer Steve V for allowing us to share these great photos!

All photos taken by Steve Vit  ©