Military machine creaks into action

By Mathew Dearnaley

Military commanders are putting a brave face on the elderly equipment being trundled off to East Timor, despite sniping from the sidelines.

All three services are relying on equipment three decades old, leading to charges by opposition politicians that the Government has been caught with its defence pants down.

Off to the hot zone last night was the 28-year-old frigate Canterbury, which was forced out of military exercises near Darwin last month by an engine fault.

Commander Warren Cummins acknowledged that his ship was "out of its warranty," but the Navy brushed off suggestions by some crew that its engines might not get it back up north.

Two 33-year-old Air Force Hercules left Whenuapai without a repeat of the embarrassing breakdown that forced one of the fleet to abort a takeoff while flying troops to the Gulf last year.

But Act leader Richard Prebble told Parliament yesterday that the Hercules involved in this week's airlift of refugees from East Timor to Darwin had already suffered a mechanical glitch.

The Army last night also confirmed information from the MP that it had chartered a Dutch cargo ship to carry 25 armoured personnel carriers and other heavy equipment to Timor.

It will arrive from Australia at the end of next week, giving critics another chance to snipe at the Navy's ill-starred troop carrier Charles Upham, good only for ferrying oranges on a civilian charter off Spain.

The armoured carriers, themselves of Vietnam War vintage, are likely to be severely tested by East Timor's rugged terrain. If they break down, crews depend on similarly old and less-than-reliable radios to call for help.

This will put great pressure on the Air Force's contribution of four Iroquois helicopters, which are also well into their 30s.

But Wing Commander Peter Port, in charge of 100 Air Force personnel preparing yesterday for East Timor, said the Iroquois had been substantially overhauled over the years and performed very well in Bougainville.

"They are bit like the proverbial axe that never wears out as long as you are prepared to keep changing the head and handle."

Army development chief Colonel Ian Grant acknowledged the equipment limitations yesterday, but said enough spare parts would be carried to ensure fast repairs.

Unlike in Bosnia, the personnel carriers would not face the threat of landmines, and side armour would give adequate protection against small-arms fire.

He acknowledged that the risk for ground forces would be high to start with, but was confident this would be overcome swiftly and that the Indonesian Army would not open fire in support of the militias.

"When the land force gets there, the atrocities will stop, the people will be safe, and then they can start rebuilding the country."