Australian Soldiers Test Their Eyes in the Sky

29 April 2025 – Original Australian Government Defence article By Captain Tadek Markowski here.

[Caption for headline photo: Gunner Jake McKean and Gunner Fergus Eastaugh assess the trailer-mounted UAV recovery system during Exercise Chimera Walk at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Queensland. Photo: Captain Tadek Markowski]

The ADF’s Tactical Uncrewed Aerial Systems (TUAS) program came into sharp focus during Exercise Chimera Walk at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area recently.

The 20th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, launched, flew and recovered their newest uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), the Integrator, in round-the-clock operations.

It was the first time the Brisbane-based regiment’s three flying batteries (131, 132 and 133), Combat Service Support (CSS) Battery and Operational Support Battery had field-tested the new aircraft.

Live flight trials at the Army Aviation Training Centre, Oakey, and hours of simulator flight training preceded the regiment’s first ‘shake-out’ exercise of the year, which focused on getting experience with the Integrator’s systems, flight characteristics and support equipment.

Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) Marc Plant, of Army’s Aviation Command, said the two-week exercise was important “hands-on” training.

“It’s an opportunity to build familiarity with the equipment as well as applying a tactical scenario to support how the Integrator is used with the protected mobility vehicles [PMVs],” WO2 Plant said.

“20th Regiment has two UAS capability bricks, each comprising three aircraft, a trailer-mounted launcher and ‘skyhook’ recovery system, with Bushmaster PMVs used as ground control platforms.”

‘We’re a really valuable asset to the entire Defence Force. We are the first eyes on target.’

By the end of the year, the unit is expected to take delivery of additional Integrators, enabling two capability bricks per flying battery.

The Integrators are being delivered by Insitu Pacific Ltd, and are being assembled at a Brisbane factory using several components designed and built in Australia, including an advanced camera gimbal.

The UAS form part of Project DEF 129, designed to enhance situational awareness and increase force protection across maritime and land military operations.

Launched via catapult and caught using a vertical arrest cable, the Integrator and its support systems are readily deployable by road, air and sea – an essential requirement for supporting Army’s littoral-manoeuvre fighting force.

With its day/night cameras and potential for modular payload sensor suites, it provides Defence with enhanced intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities.

Intelligence gathered during Integrator missions can be shared with land and maritime strike capabilities, including Army’s new long-range artillery and rocket systems.

20th Regiment UAS operator, Gunner Jake McKean, said lessons from modern conflicts demonstrated why drone technology and capability was becoming one of the fastest growing areas within Defence.

“It’s an evolving capability, so it’s at the forefront of technology in the Australian Army,” Gunner McKean said.

“We’re a really valuable asset to the entire Defence Force. We are the first eyes on target.”