Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2023 - Rockhampton, Shoalwater Bay and Qld Coast

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    Closed consultation
    QLD
    Start 02/03/2023
    AEDT 09:00
    End 17/03/2023
    AEDT 17:00

    Submit feedback to

    Joint Airspace  Control Cell
    Royal Australian Air Force
    adf.airspace@defence.gov.au

    The Joint Airspace Control Cell (JACC) requests feedback on the updated proposed activation timings for Temporary Restricted Area (TRA)-Stingray-ABCDEF, located in the Shoalwater Bay region in support of military exercise Talisman Sabre.

    The issue

    This proposal notes the following key issues:

    • request for multiple TRA in the vicinity of Shoalwater Bay coastline and offshore
    • civil access to TRA limited to aircraft subject to an emergency
    • multiple air routes affected, with diversion routes to be published in aeronautical information package supplements (AIP SUP)
    • conditional status of TRA will be RA2 or RA3 depending on area.

    Purpose

    This is an update to an AvSEF Paper submitted on the same topic (16 December 2022 - 31 January 2023). JACC requests feedback on proposed TRA and procedures for Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2023 (TS23) (scheduled 21 July to 04 August 2023), specifically to be employed in the Shoalwater Bay region of the Qld coast. Changes for consultation:

    • additions to the proposed activation dates and times of TRA-Stingray-ABCDEF (still falls within military exercise Talisman Sabe period).

    See activation table. Changes for advisory only:

    • reduced lateral dimension of TRA-Stingray-C
    • reduced vertical dimension of TRA-Manta.

    Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) Offshore Extension

    To facilitate the varied requirements of dynamic high density fixed and rotary wing aircraft, unmanned aerial system operations and live fire activities in the vicinity of Shoalwater Bay, Defence is proposing a series of temporary lateral extensions to extant SWBTA prohibited, restricted and danger areas (PRD). The seven areas, labelled TRA-Stingray ABCDEF and TRA-Manta, will be activated at different times throughout TS23 due to staggered exercise requirements; the activation of each block is tentatively described in Table 1.

    Table 1. Anticipated airspace activation of TRA-Stingray-ABCDEF and TRA-Mantra
    Dates Anticipated TRA activation Anticipated activation windows
    21-24 July 2023 TRA-Stingray C Thee 3-hour blocks daily
    24-31 July 2023 TRA-Stingray ABCDEF One 12-hour window daily
    01-04 August 2023 TRA-Stingray ABCDEF and TRA-Mantra H24

    Exact activation timings will be confirmed in notices to air missions (NOTAM) and AIP SUP. Procedures and civil diversion routes will also be provided with the AIP SUP, in consultation with Airservices Australia.

    During NOTAM activation periods, access by non-exercise aircraft will not be available except in cases of a declared emergency, radio failure or participating in activities for the preservation of life and property (search and rescue, medical evacuation, police or fire and flood recovery (SAR, MED, POL or FFR)). Clearances through TRA-Stingray ABCDEF and TRA-Manta, when appropriate, will be provided by the contact listed in AIP SUP.

    TRA-Stingray ABCDEF and TRA-Manta are depicted in Figure 1.

     

    • YBBB/TRA-Stingray A
      • Conditional Status: RA2
      • Military Flying Lateral Limits: 203000S 1500000E - 203000S - 1523900E - 210300S 1523900E - 210300S 1500000E - 203000S 1500000E
      • Vertical Limits: SFC – FL310
      • Controlling Authority: Joint Airspace Control Cell.

     

    • YBBB/TRA-Stingray B
      • Conditional Status: RA2
      • Military Flying Lateral Limits: 210300S 1500000E - 210300S 1523900E - 221400S 1523900E – 221400S 1510530E then along the clockwise arc of a circle radius 30.00 nautical mile (n mile) centre 221600S 1503300E – 221500S 1500042E – 221500S 1500000E - 210300S 1500000E
      • Vertical Limits: SFC – FL310
      • Controlling Authority: Joint Airspace Control Cell.

     

    • YBBB/TRA-Stingray C
      • Conditional Status: RA2
      • Military Flying
      • Lateral Limits: 221400S 1510530E - 221400S 1523900E - 232500S 1523900E – 230709S 1520000E – 225656S 1504740E - 225400S 1503600E - 224757S 1503721E - 224922S 1504707E - 244119S 1504707E then along the counter clockwise arc of a circle radius 30.00 n mile centre 221600S 1503300E - 221400S 1510530E
      • Vertical Limits: SFC – FL310
      • Controlling Authority: Joint Airspace Control Cell.

     

    • YBBB/TRA-Stingray D
      • Conditional Status: RA2
      • Military Flying
      • Lateral Limits: 203000S 1523900E - 203000S 1540000E - 221400S 1540000E - 221400S 1523900E - 203000S 1523900E
      • Vertical Limits: SFC – FL310
      • Controlling Authority: Joint Airspace Control Cell.

     

    • YBBB/TRA-Stingray E
      • Conditional Status: RA2
      • Military Flying Lateral Limits: 221400S 1523900E - 221400S 1540000E - 232500S 1540000E - 232500S 1523900E - 221400S 1523900E
      • Vertical Limits: SFC – FL310
      • Controlling Authority: Joint Airspace Control Cell.

     

    • YBBB/TRA-Stingray F
      • Conditional Status: RA2
      • Military Flying
      • Lateral Limits: 194730S 1517000E - 194730S 1523900E - 203000S 1523900E - 203000S 1517000E - 194730S 1517000E
      • Vertical Limits: SFC – FL310
      • Controlling Authority: Joint Airspace Control Cell.

     

    • YBBB/TRA-Manta
      • Conditional Status: RA2
      • Military Flying
      • Lateral Limits: 214940S 1500000E – 221500S 150000E – 221933S 1495410E – 220636S 1494834E – 215931S 1494828E then along the counterclockwise arc of a circle radius 60.00 n mile centre 211023S 1491115E (MK/DME) - 214940S 1500000E
      • Vertical Limits: SFC – FL160
      • Controlling Authority: Joint Airspace Control Cell.

     

    image depicting TRA-Stingray ABCDEF and TRA-Mantra
    Figure 1. TRA-Stingray ABCDEF and TRA-Mantra

     

    image depicting TRA-Stingray C
    Figure 2. Close-up of amended TRA-Stingray-C lateral boundary

     

     

    High Seas Naval Firing Activity

    Naval assets will be conducting high seas naval firing as part of TS23. In the interest of public safety, TRA-Crossbow is proposed to safely segregate aircraft from the live fire activity.

    Activation windows: TRA-Crossbow will be activated for up to six hours daily on 22 July and 23 July 2023.

    Procedures and activation timings will be highlighted in the AIP SUP.

    TRA-Crossbow can be seen depicted in Figure 3. TRA-Crossbow will not be activated concurrently with TRA-Stingray A, D or F.

    During NOTAM activation periods, access by non-exercise aircraft will not be available except in cases of a declared emergency, radio failure or participating in activities for the preservation of life and property (SAR, MED, POL or FFR). Clearances through TRA-Crossbow, when appropriate, will be provided by the contact listed in AIP SUP.

     

    • YBBB/TRA-Crossbow
      • Conditional Status: RA3
      • Military Flying/Non-Flying
      • Lateral Limits: 193800S 1521500E - 193800S 1545700E – 203850S 1545700E – 203850S 1521500E -193800S 1521500E
      • Vertical Limits: SFC – 80 000
      • Controlling Authority: Joint Airspace Control Cell.

     

    image depicting TRA-Crossbow
    Figure 3. TRA-Crossbow

     

    Submitted by

    Joint Airspace Control Cell
    Royal Australian Air Force
    adf.airspace@defence.gov.au