Mount Bundy Training Area

Mount Bundy Training Area
The Mount Bundy Training Area (MBTA) is located near the township of Humpty Doo in the Northern Territory. It is a fully instrumented training area that can be utilised by up to Brigade Combat Team size elements and include the exercising of Armour, Artillery, Air Support and the full range of assets usually operated at Brigade Combat Team level. Limited force on force training can be undertaken at MBTA. Together with the Bradsahw Training Area and the Delamere Weapons Range Training Area, these three areas make up the North Australian Range Complex (NARC), the largest military training area in the world.

Joint Combat Training Centre
The Joint Combat Training Centre is the Australian - US organisation responsible for coordinating joint Australian - US training exercises throught out the ADF's Training Areas including Mount Bundy. The Australian Combat Training Centre (CTC) is headquartered in Townsville, with the Joint Combat Training Centre, incorporating the US inviolvement, being an extension of the primary CTC with a sub unit HQ in Darwin. JCTC is essentiually the regular Australian CTC with US elements inserted into the various levels of training planning and coordination.

CTC Headquarters (CTC-HQ), co-ordinates exercises through the CTC Battle Command (CTC-BC), the Jungle Training Centre (JTC) in Tully, the CTC Live (CTC-L), and Tactical Training Simulation Centres (TTSC) that are located with each Brigade Combat Team. The CTC-BC employs constructive simulation tools to facilitate Unit and Brigade level command and staff training. CTC-L is responsible for the "live" training operatiopns. Both CTC-BC and CTC-L conducting force-preparation training for sub-units and units as part of the ADF's regular Force Generation Cycles. CTC - live-simulation, range-instrumentation and information system (CTC-LIS) is the technical instrumentation element that provides CTC-L with the technical tools to do their job.

Exercises
There are several annual exercises as well as regular smaller unit training exercises. The primary users are units from the Darwin based 1st Division as well as local elements of the regional surveillance, security and support force, NORFORCE.

Singapore Defence Force (SDF) units and elemets of the US Marine Corps (USMC) who regularly rotate through Australia for training also are regular users of the Mount Bundy Training Area.

Exercises usually involve both live and dry firing elements. Royal Military College students are also regularly exercised at the training area.

Exercise Matilda
Exercise Matilda is an annual brigade manuever exercise between SDF and Australian Defence Force elements. It is designed to enhance tactical skills up to Brigade level and increase interoperability between SDF and ADF elements.

Exercise Gold Eagle
Exercise Gold Eagle is an annual brigade manuever exercise between USMC and ADF elements. As with exercise Matilda it is designed to increase tactical skills and interoperability between the different elements involved.

Exercise Predators Walk
The locally based Ist Division regularly exercises at Brigade Level at the Mount Bundy Training Area under the name Exercise Predators Gallop. These regular exercises take place as part of the regular Force Generation Cycle for 1st Division elelments.

Mount Bundy Defence Medical Centre
The nature of training and the extreme heat often experienced at the Mount Bundy Training Area led to the development of a permanent health facility manned and operated by Joint Health Command. This facility is designed to support the ongoing training operations and the units undertaking the exercises. During peak exercise periods the Joint Health Command staff are reinforced by ADF and foreign training forces field deployable medical assets.

Mount Bundy Army Airfield
The army maintains a rough airstrip facility as part of the training area at Mount Bundy.