The Australian Antarctic Program (AAP) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are celebrating 10 years of collaboration in Antarctica through Operation Southern Discovery.
Tractors, helicopters and ice core drills are just some of the oversized cargo items that have been flown in the belly of an ADF aircraft to Australia's Antarctic stations over the past 10 years.
The addition of a C-17A Globemaster aircraft to the Australian Antarctic Program's logistics capability, through the Operation Southern Discovery partnership, has become a key part of successful Antarctic operations.
The C-17A can fly cargo to Antarctica in a matter of hours, landing at Wilkins Aerodrome in Antarctica or parachuting smaller items – like food and equipment – to drop almost on the icy doorsteps of Australia's Antarctic research stations.
The speed and capability of the collaboration makes it an ideal logistics partner to Australia's world-leading icebreaking science and resupply vessel, the RSV Nuyina.
Early flights
In 2016, Australian Antarctic Division Operations and Logistics Manager, Matt Filipowski, worked with Defence to bring the C-17A into Antarctic service.
Since then, he says the program has gone from strength to strength.
"The first 10 years of Operation Southern Discovery has been an absolute success," Mr Filipowski said.
"It's let us do things outside our traditional summer shipping season. It's allowed us to be flexible and to respond quickly to emergencies and unexpected losses or breakdowns of critical equipment.
"As Operation Southern Discovery has evolved, we've introduced the airdrop capability and air-to-air refuelling.
"This allows us to reach all our stations, or deliver cargo to deep field science sites, at any time."
In 2022 for example, the C-17A airdropped 10 tonnes of equipment to the Denman Glacier region, about 450 km west of Casey station.
The drop allowed a team to erect a deep-field camp site, before 27 scientists arrived to begin a three-year research campaign.
Defence Liaison Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Marcus Luciani, said an airdrop, with a mid-air refuel, was one of the most challenging aspects of Operation Southern Discovery.
When sea ice prevented a full resupply of Mawson station in 2021, the Defence team rose to the challenge, making the 15 hour, 10,400 km round trip from Perth, Western Australia, to airdrop 23 pallets of essential supplies over winter.
"There's a lot of preparation involved in any flying operation in Antarctica because it's such a unique environment to fly in to," LTCOL Luciani said.
"With the Mawson airdrop the flight crews really had to thread the needle, to undertake air-to-air refueling during the journey and make a precision drop on the sea ice during the small amount of daylight available.
"The air dispatchers who packed the pallets also needed to test drop every single box, to make sure if a parachute didn't open, the box would survive impact and it wouldn't create an environmental incident."
More than planes
While the most recognizable component of Operation Southern Discovery is the heavy-lift aircraft, the operation also involves deploying Defence personnel on ships and stations, in roles such as meteorology, hydrography and surveying.
"We've had Navy meteorologists who have deployed every year as part of the forecasting team," LTCOL Luciani said.
"They always come back with a better understanding of aviation forecasting and Southern Ocean weather patterns, and that helps our Navy operate in more difficult and diverse environments."
Navy hydrographers and Army surveyors have also been involved in work to improve navigational charts, understand glaciological history, and assist infrastructure projects and airfield surveys.
"Our hydrographers and surveyors have contributed to the world leading science that the Antarctic Program does, which is a unique opportunity for them," LTCOL Luciani said.
Evolving capability
As Operation Southern Discovery enters its next decade, Mr Filipowski said it will look towards emerging areas of capability.
"There are always opportunities to introduce new capabilities, including drones and other autonomous vehicles, particularly in the areas of science, mapping and surveying," he said.
In the 2024-25 summer, drone operators from the Defence Science and Technology Group used drones to collect scientific data on Macquarie Island, alongside Antarctic Program drone operators.
"It's an area we can both work together on, to practice the skill set and develop our capabilities, to benefit the Australian Defence Force and Antarctic science," LTCOL Luciani said.
"Operation Southern Discovery has been a terrific collaboration between two government departments and we're really looking forward to seeing what the future holds."
