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Combat Survival Training School

Role

Combat Survival Training School (CSTS) is an Air Force school within the Air Training Wing of Air Force Training Group. CSTS exists to prepare Australian Defence Force (ADF) aircrew and other ‘at risk’ personnel for operational contingencies.

CSTS runs a variety of survival training courses covering peace and wartime conditions.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK, and on opportunity basis, instructors from foreign SERE (Survive, Evade, Resist, and Escape) schools also undergo training at CSTS. The feedback from these students confirms CSTS provides world-class training.

What work is undertaken

The Combat Survival Course (COMSURV) is designed to train aircrew and other selected personnel who may be forced down in peacetime or separated from friendly forces in a combat environment to evade capture and survive until rescued. Graduates will be challenged both physically and mentally while on the course.

COMSURV is currently run seven times per year with up to 40 students. Courses are conducted in areas surrounding Townsville. The course runs for 21 days, the majority of which are in the field. Students can expect to experience stress designed to simulate the shock normally encountered at the commencement of a survival scenario. Due to the requirement to provide realistic training within OH&S legislation, combined with the environmental conditions experienced in Townsville, a program of conditioning training is provided during the course to accelerate acclimatisation.

CSTS can also conduct a Cold Weather Course (run from Dinner Plain (near Mt Hotham), Victoria) and refresher training (both at CSTS and other locations) on request.

Classroom topics include:

    Priorities of survival
  • Location
  • Food / water
  • Sea / coast survival
  • Arid / desert survival
  • survival
  • Extreme cold weather survival
  • Combat search and rescue (CSAR)
  • Evasion from enemy
  • Resistance to interrogation and exploitation
  • POW / Geneva Convention

Field Phases covered include:

  • Sea / coast survival
  • Arid survival
  • Jungle survival (group and solo)
  • Evasion
  • Contact procedures
  • CSAR

Types of mustering/specialisations involved

CSTS has a staff of 10. The Commanding Officer (Aircrew), six instructors (Ground Defence, Aircrew, Airfield Defence Guard, Naval Aircrew, Medic and Physical Training Instructor) and three support staff (Clerk, Supply Clerk and Aircraft Life Support Fitter) each come from a different mustering and bring their own special skills to the school. The normal tour for staff is two to three years with staff returning to their mustering afterwards.

COMSURV is compulsory for all ADF aircrew and is normally done as part of their basic training. Select personnel from musterings such as Ground Defence, Airfield Defence Guard, Physical Training Instructor ` and Aircraft Life Support Fitter are also required to do the course.

Equipment used

CSTS gives students hands-on training with all ADF life support equipment. Students use the ADF survival radio (PRC807 Warrendi), pyrotechnics, life rafts, and secumars. Additionally, training is provided in improvising survival necessities from scavenged equipment and the environment. Prior to commencement of the course, each graduate should have a personal survival kit, which will be tried and tested.

Aircraft, such as DHC4 Caribou (for vectoring and insertion into field phases) and S70 Blackhawk aircraft (for winching and extraction from field phase), are utilised during the course when available.

In 1956 the then Chief of Staff identified the need for RAAF aircrew to undertake combat survival training as a result of incidents occurring in the Korean War. This resulted in the first combat survival courses being conducted in the Numinbah Valley in the Gold Coast hinterland in Queensland.

In 1967 the Combat Survival Flight was established at RAAF Base Amberley, with the training continuing to be conducted in the Numinbah Valley. Combat Survival Training Flight moved to RAAF Base Townsville in 1979 for better training areas, and it became a unit in its own right in 1987. Combat Survival Training School moved into its present building, the old hospital, in 1989.

CSTS CrestHer Majesty, the Queen, approved the unit crest in July 1994. The design of this badge is intended to symbolise the School’s principle role, that of combat survival training. A celestial-blue roundel is charged with the Southern Cross, and alludes to the Australian nation and its location within the Southern Hemisphere. The boomerang, a uniquely Australian emblem, illustrates the capability of downed aircrew to return. The crocodile symbolises the northern Australian location of the School. Surviving for millions of years, it represents the need for aircrew to adapt successfully; a goal concisely referred to by the Schools adopted motto:

ADAPT AND RETURN

Contact

CSTS is located at RAAF Base Townsville. Our address is:

CSTS
RAAF Base Townsville
Ingham Road
Townsville QLD 4810