Swan Island Training Area

Swan Island Training Area
The Swan Island Training Area is located on the eastern part of Swan Island, near Queenscliff in Victoria. It is a joint training facility operated by the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) and Australian Special Operations Command (AUSOCOMD). The facility conducts top secret level training particularly involving interoperatability of the two host organisations.

Mission
The designated mission of the Swan Island Training Area is to provide a training and military exercise for ASIS, AUSOCOMD and other organisations as necessary such as the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

Primary training revolves around Counter Terrorism and the integration of intelligence and defence assets in clandestine intelligence activities.

Units
There is a small HQ and base management team, commanded and staffed by ASIS with some Army/ AUSOCOMD members. Staff from the Combat Training Centre - Special Operations (CTC-SO) are the Army's presence within the facility's HQ and are involved in planning and implementing some of the training and can draw on the CTC's assets to provide simulations or technical support in training. In addition to the headquarters there is a small permanent Army detachment based on the island, primarily drawn from the Special Air Service Regiment, although other elements from AUSOCOMD may also be included. This permanent detachment is known as the Swan Island Army Detachment (SIAD).

The SIAD also contains within it the Special Operations Task Group - Alpha, a "Tier Zero" special operations unit of action, and one of the National Asset Special Operations Task Groups. It is available on immediate notice to support ASIS anywhere around the globe in clandestine actions. Tier Zero operators are the highest level of special operations operators and are extremely secretive in regards to the missions they undertake. SOTG-A is made up of around 20 operators at any one time on 6 month rotations from the top AUSOCOMD special mission units.

Regular rotations of ASIS and other AUSOCOMD operators regularly move through the facility undertaking training. At any one time the number of operatives undergoing training rarely exceeds 10.

A small team of Military Police Guard Service soldiers are responsible for the considerable security of the facility, and form part of the SIAD noted above.

Virtually all Australian intelligence agencies regularly utilise the facilities at Swan Island.