Aussie Military Assets on Standby for Disaster Relief

Tropical Cyclone Larry hit the Far North Queensland coast this morning devistating Innisfail and Cairns.

As a result the RAAF will be deploying all four RF-111C to asses the damage and the Army will be placing their flying assets, including the old DHC-4 Caribou’s which were there helping during the last major cyclone “Tracy” which hit Darwin back on Christmas day in 1974.

The Townsville base is already mobilising but have to wait till Larry Dies down before moving in. It is understood that the airstrip in Innisfailo is still serviceable though this could change as the eye of the storm has only just passed over and ahead lies another few hours of high winds and and rain.

Townsville is the largest military base in Australia and has most of the CH-47D Chinooks (Two on deployment in the Middle East), Most of the remaining 14 DHC-4’s and most of the S-70A-9 Blackhawks.

The fact that all four RF-111C’s are to be used gives you some idea as to how big an area this cyclone has damaged. The resulting pics from the over pass will help determin what asstes to send in and where.

More when I hear it…!