Proposed airspace change near Mackay to support military activity

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    Open consultation
    QLD
    1 day remaining
    Start 09/01/2025
    AEDT 11:00
    End 31/01/2025
    AEDT 17:00

    Submit feedback to

    Joint Airspace Control Cell  Royal Australian Air Force
    Australian Defence Force

    The Joint Airspace Control Cell (JACC) requests feedback on a proposed temporary military operating area (TM) and procedures for Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2025.

    The issue

    • Proposal to establish a single TM off the coast of Shoalwater Bay for time limited activities.
    • Civil access to TM limited to aircraft subject to an emergency or participating in activities for the preservation of life and property.
    • Airspace limits overlap with airspace currently being consulted for Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) over the same period. Airspaces will be deconflicted by time.
    • Conditional status of TM will be RA3.

    Purpose

    JACC requests feedback on a proposed TM and procedures for Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2025, specifically to be employed 160 nautical miles off the coast of Mackay.

    Proposal

    OVERVIEW 

    Elements of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will be conducting Exercise ‘TALISMAN SABRE 2025 (TS25)’ over the period 14 – 28 July 2025. 

    TS25 is a large-scale military activity, involving a wide range of military air, sea and ground activities across the Queensland coast. TM ‘CROSSBOW’ is proposed to support the safe conduct of naval activities by appropriately segregating them from non-participant aviation activities. 

    This AvSEF Paper does not exhaustively cover the proposed temporary supporting airspace for TS25. Stakeholders should refer to the AvSEF website for consultation material relating to different areas under ‘Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2025'. 

    PROPOSAL 

    Offshore naval activities 

    Naval assets will be conducting activities off the Queensland coast in support of TS25 throughout the exercise period. Over the period of 20 - 23 July 2025, TM ‘CROSSBOW’ is proposed to safely segregate non-participant aircraft from these naval activities east of the Great Barrier Reef. The airspace is proposed to contain a number of varied activities including live fire, military aviation and uncrewed aircraft operations which are not able to be facilitated using the underlying airspace classification in the area. 

    Airspace procedures 

    TM ‘CROSSBOW’ will be activated for up to six hours daily between 20 - 23 July 2025. 

    Procedures and activation timings will be contained within an associated AIP SUP and NOTAM. 

    TM ‘CROSSBOW’ overlaps some portions of TM ‘STINGRAY’ A, D and F that are proposed over the same period in an existing AvSEF post. Due to this overlap, TM ‘CROSSBOW’ will not be activated concurrently with TM ‘STINGRAY’ A, D or F. 

    During NOTAM activation periods, access by non-participant 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 TM ‘CROSSBOW’ when appropriate, will be provided by the contact listed in AIP SUP. 

    The proposed NOTAM will display as follows:

    • YBBB / TM ‘CROSSBOW’ 

      Conditional Status: RA3 

      Military Flying/Non-Flying 

      Lateral Limits: 193800S 1521500E - 193800S 1545700E – 203850S 1545700E – 203850S 1521500E -193800S 1521500E 

      Vertical Limits: SFC - UNL 

      Hours of Activity: NOTAM 

      Controlling Authority: DEFENCE JACC

    Please see the image below for further detail: 

    TM "CROSSBOW"

     

    Submitted by

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

    Related links

    https://www.avsef.gov.au/consultations/exercise-talisman-sabre-25-propo…