Operation Gateway

Operation Gateway is an ongoing Australian Defence Force (ADF) regional security and stability operation in South East Asia.^[1]

Commencing in 1980, the operation formed part of Australia's contribution to Western surveillance operations during the Cold War. It included the use of P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft and naval vessels which conducted missions in the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca. Royal Australian NavyOberon class submarines were also involved, conducting patrols as part of US "deterrence and surveillance operations against Soviet submarines". Meanwhile, the Australian Army maintained Rifle Company Butterworth at Butterworth airbase in Malaysia in order to protect allied aircraft involved in the operation.^[2]

According to Brewster, during the 1980s the primary focus of Royal Australian Air Force aircraft involved in the operation was on detecting Soviet submarines transiting the Strait of Malacca, after which they would hand over to the United States Navy.^[3] In response to Australian security concerns following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan a detachment of up to three Orions from No. 92 Wing RAAF were deployed to Butterworth in Malaysia and began operations in February 1981. Initially the patrols involved the regular monitoring of Soviet ship and submarine movements in the region; however, the following year they began a "more aggressive prosecution phase" the following year which involved the use of radar and sonar buoys to actively detect, identify and track submarines. These patrols ended in 1989.^[4]

Desde el final de la Guerra Fría, los Orion han continuado participando en operaciones de seguridad marítima bajo los Acuerdos de Defensa de las Cinco Potencias , ^{[ 3 ]} realizando patrullas sobre el Océano Índico, el Estrecho de Malaca y el Mar de China Meridional . ^{[ 5 ] [ 6 ]} Como parte de esta operación, las aeronaves de la RAAF participan en misiones de búsqueda y rescate y contra la piratería, volando en ocasiones tan lejos como Sri Lanka y Filipinas. ^{[ 7 ]} Según informes, también han participado en vuelos de libertad de navegación . ^{[ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ]} Según informes, las aeronaves australianas se despliegan en Butterworth entre cuatro y ocho veces al año y realizan vuelos regulares durante un período de dos semanas. ^{[ 11 ]}

• Operación Gateway – Departamento de Defensa
• Reconocimiento por servicio en la Operación Gateway. Archivado el 17/03/2016 en Wayback Machine – Tribunal de Apelaciones de Honores y Condecoraciones de Defensa.