Proposed temporary restricted areas to support military activities in the Northern Territory

Elements of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will be conducting military flying and live fire activities over the period 15 - 26 July 2025.  These activities require the creation of an additional TRA’s to safely segregate these activities from non-participant aviation operations.  Defence proposes TRA ‘EMERALD’ and TRA ‘RUBY’ for this purpose. 

Proposal

TRA ‘EMERALD’ 

TRA ‘EMERALD’ is proposed for the period 15-16 July 2025, for a period of four hours each day with the 16th to be utilised as a contingency day in the event of any disruptions on the 15th.  Proposed timings are contained below with exact timings to be confirmed by Aeronautical Information Publication supplements (AIP SUP) and Notice to Airmen (NOTAM).

The proposed NOTAM will detail the following:

• YBBB/TRA ‘EMERALD’ 

  Conditional Status: RA2 

  Military Flying/Non-Flying 

  Lateral Limits: 141437S 1291800E – 144929S 1303753E, then along FITZMAURICE RIVER 7 – 145110S 1303119E, then along FITZMAURICE RIVER 6 – 145210S 1302252E, then along FITZMAURICE RIVER 5 – 145006S 1301119E, then along FITZMAURICE RIVER 4 – 144748S 1300644E, then along FITZMAURICE RIVER 3 – 144755S 1295658E – 151610S 1295044E, then along THE VICTORIA RIVER 10 – 152050S 1295209E, then along THE VICTORIA RIVER 9 – 152611S 1295738E, then along THE VICTORIA RIVER 8 – 152416S 1300511E, then along THE VICTORIA RIVER 7 – 152326S 1301423E, then along THE VICTORIA RIVER 6 – 152224S 1301445E, then along THE VICTORIA RIVER 5 – 152159S 1301609E, then along THE VICTORIA RIVER 4 – 153136S 1302222E, then along THE VICTORIA RIVER 5 – 153615S 1302348E, 152459S 1294659E, 150947S 1292700E, 143726S 1283151E, 142222S 1284723E, 143432S 1290013E, 141426S 1291730E 

  Vertical Limits: SFC – UNL 

  Controlling Authority: Defence (contact details to be published in AIP SUP) 

Key design considerations: 

For simplicity TRA ‘EMERALD’ is proposed as a single volume of airspace that adjoins the Western boundaries of R268 and R270 and the Eastern and Southern boundaries of M263G from surface height and unlimited height (SFC – UNL) in order to encompass all effects within the airspace. 

TRA ‘EMERALD’ has been purposefully designed to remain a minimum of five nautical miles (NM) south of Port Keats (YPKT) and Palumpa aerodrome (YPUA) to ensure that visual meteorological condition operations are available and direct access to Darwin exists.  In addition, TRA ‘EMERALD’ has been designed to remain at least 3 nautical miles (NM) north of Legune Station (YLGU) and Bullo River Valley (YBVY) aerodromes. 

During this activity, the following extant Special Use Airspace (SUA) will also be activated in conjunction with TRA ‘EMERALD’: 

The following table contains the planned timings for activation of TRA ‘EMERALD’ and extant SUA:

Key issues identified: 

• Air routes W237, W843, J151, W287, J72, W226, Z35, A464, M766, A458 are affected by this activity.  Diversion routes for this airspace configuration will be consulted with Airservices Australia and published via an associated AIP SUP. 
• YPKT instrument flight procedure (IFP) is likely to be unavailable during the activation of TRA ‘EMERALD’ except for aircraft requiring approaches in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).  Feedback is being sought from the IFP designers and confirmation of unavailability along with procedures to arrange transit will be broadcast through the issue of an associated AIP SUP and NOTAM. 
• D236A COOLIBAH CORRIDOR NORTH VFR TRANSIT LANE and D236B COOLIBAH CORRIDOR SOUTH VFR TRANSIT LANE will not be available during TRA ‘EMERALD’ activation times with VFR transit to be conducted east of R269 and R270. 
• Access to TRA ‘EMERALD’ and planned extant SUA by non-participant aircraft will not be available except for aircraft with a declared emergency or operating in the preservation of life or property (MEDEVAC, FFR, POL, SAR). 
• TRA ‘EMERALD’ and the planned extant SUA abuts an already planned airspace configuration with the transition occurring at 0030Z (See AvSEF). Consideration will be given to ensure that appropriate diversion routes and a plan for transition between the routes for each configuration is available with details to be contained in an associated AIP SUP. 

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TRA ‘RUBY’ 

TRA ‘RUBY’ is proposed for the period 25-26 July 2025, for up to two activations of two hours each day with the 26th to be utilised as a contingency day in the event of any disruptions on the 25th.  Proposed timings are contained below with exact timings to be confirmed by AIP SUP and NOTAM. 

The proposed NOTAM will display the following information:

• YBBB/TRA ‘RUBY’ 

  Conditional Status: RA2 

  Military Flying/Non-Flying 

  Lateral Limits: 125507S 1314106E – 125806S 1314301E – 130020S 1314521E – 130722S 1315029E – 130918S 1315227E – 131023S 1315230E – 131023S 1320420E – 152105S 1310000E – 145543S 1310000E – 145537S 1304546E – 145536S 1304523E – 144929S 1303753E 

  Then along FITZMAURICE RIVER 7 – 145110S 1303119E 

  Then along FITZMAURICE RIVER 6 – 145210S 1302252E 

  Then along FITZMAURICE RIVER 5 – 145006S 1301119E then along FITZMAURICE RIVER 4 – 144748S 1300644E 

  Then along FITZMAURICE RIVER 3 – 144755S 1295658E – 125507S 1314106E 

  Vertical Limits: SFC – UNL 

  Controlling Authority: Defence (contact details to be published in AIP SUP)

Key design considerations: 

For simplicity TRA ‘RUBY’ is proposed as a single volume of airspace that connects BFTA and MBTA from SFC – UNL in order to encompass all effects within the airspace. 

Care has been taken to avoid major aerodromes in the vicinity of the TRA including RAAF Tindal (YPTN), Daly River Airport (YDMN), Palumpa (YPLU) and Port Keats (YPKT). Activity requirements necessitate the establishment of TRA overhead Tipperary Station (YTPA) and Ban Ban Springs (YBBS) aerodromes with aerodrome managers to be consulted separately. 

At this point in time there are no other significant Defence Force activations of SUA in the NT for the planned activity dates of 25-26 Jul 25. Care will be taken to avoid adding complexity and track miles to any diversion routes when considering any additional airspace requirements. 

During this activity, the following extant Special Use Airspace (SUA) will also be activated in conjunction with TRA ‘RUBY’:

The following table contains the planned timings for activation of TRA ‘RUBY’ and extant SUA:

Key issues identified: 

• Air routes A461, A464, Z35, W614, W226, J251, Q23, Q220, Q95 are affected by this activity.  Diversion routes for this airspace configuration will be consulted with Airservices Australia and published via an associated AIP SUP. 
• YPDN SID and STAR arrivals are likely to be affected by the proposed airspace.  Details will be sought and any amended procedures for departure and arrival into Darwin will be published in an associated AIP SUP. 
• D236A COOLIBAH CORRIDOR NORTH VFR TRANSIT LANE and D236B COOLIBAH CORRIDOR SOUTH VFR TRANSIT LANE will not be available during TRA ‘RUBY’ activation times with VFR transit to be conducted to the west of R268. 
• Access to TRA ‘RUBY’ and planned extant SUA by non-participant aircraft is not available except for aircraft with a declared emergency or operating in the preservation of life or property (MEDEVAC, FFR, POL, SAR). 

The following image depicts both TRA ‘RUBY’ and the planned extant SUA:

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Figure 2. TRA ‘RUBY’ and extant SUA 

AvSEF members are invited to provide feedback to JACC:adf.airspace@defence.gov.au by 5 March 2025.