Article Posted on : - May 14, 2010

The Abrams M1A1 Tanks participating in the EXERCISE CHONG JU’ (EXCJ) at Puckapunyal Military Area . Australian MoD Photo.

SYDNEY (BNS): The Australian Army has displayed its latest combat weapons to Army officers, soldiers and invited guests during ‘EXERCISE CHONG JU’ (EXCJ) at the Puckapunyal Military Area (PMA) on Thursday.

The exercise is a combined (Army and Air Force) arms live fire attack designed to enhance the training of Australian Army combat officers and displaying the highly-visual live fire training activity of its defence sector.

EXCJ demonstrated the fire-power of M1A1 Abrams tanks, M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers (APCs), ASLAV and the Javelin Medium Defensive Fire Support Weapon, Australian Light Armoured Vehicle, 105 mm Hamel Gun and Javelin Anti-Armour Missile.

The Australian Air Force has provided close air support from its soon to be retired F-111 long range strike aircraft in EXCJ.

“The modern battle space has changed and will continue to evolve, it is important we provide young officers and soldiers awareness of the effects of weapons and how best to engage them in a combined effect in operational scenarios,” Colonel Michael Kingsford, the Commandant of the Army’s Combined Arms Training Centre, said in an official news release of Australian MoD.

EXCJ is a training activity for the Combat Officer Advanced Course, which trains combat arms officers on combined arms tactics.

"EXCJ was an essential part of combat training for the Army’s junior officers," he added.

EXCJ was named after a battle in North Korea in 1950 when the Third Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment, supported by tanks and artillery, attacked and captured a large North Korean defensive line during their northward advance to the Yalu River.