Firepower demonstration at Puckapunyal Military Base

By Bianca Hall

Aug 22, 2022

All fired up: Maddie, 3, at last week’s firepower demonstration. Photo by Pte Michael Currie

The Combined Arms Training Centre (CATC) hosted a firepower demonstration at Puckapunyal Military Area on August 16 and 17 after Exercise Chong Ju was last week postponed until 2023.

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Eight hundred residents of the base and guests watched the School of Artillery soldiers demonstrate use of M777 howitzer artillery and the School of Armour soldiers using M113 armoured personnel carriers, Australian Light Armoured Vehicles and M1 Abrams main battle tanks.

Puckapunyal senior Australian Defence Force officer Colonel Patrick Davison said the activity strengthened ties with the local community.

“The role of CATC is to train and prepare Australian Army soldiers and officers on how to effectively and safely operate equipment and vehicles in their combat arms corps specialisation,” he said.

“Today we headed out to the range to show the community and our families not only what keeps us busy as work and why we love our jobs, but to provide a valuable demonstration of what we do.

“But we acknowledge that this training can create noise and disruption to our neighbours.

“At Puckapunyal, we are unique in that we have neighbours both in Seymour and surrounding communities, and also the families that live on base.”