Operation Papua New Guinea Assist was the

Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Forc ...

's contribution to the Australian humanitarian effort in Oro Province, Papua New Guinea following heavy flooding caused by

Cyclone Guba Severe Tropical Cyclone Guba was the most recent tropical cyclone to form in the Port Moresby area of responsibility. The storm resulted in 149 fatalities and severe damage across southeastern Papua New Guinea in November 2007. The firstly-named c ...

in November 2007. The humanitarian effort was being led by AusAID and the ADF provided logistical support. The first ADF units involved in this operation deployed to Papua New Guinea on 21 November 2007 following a request from the PNG government. The operation was completed early December 2007. The ADF force was designated Joint Task Force 636 and was led by

Group Captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...

Tim Innes. The force had a strength of about 170 personnel and involved the following ADF units: * A small ADF support and command element * Two

C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...

from

No. 37 Squadron RAAF No. 37 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) medium tactical airlift squadron. It operates Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules aircraft from RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales. The squadron has seen active service flying transport a ...

* One C-17 Globemaster III from

No. 36 Squadron RAAF No. 36 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) strategic transport squadron. It operates Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy airlifters from RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. The squadron has seen active service flying transport airc ...

* Three DHC-4 Caribou from

No. 38 Squadron RAAF No. 38 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) transport and training unit active between 1943 and 2018. It was formed on 15 September 1943 and saw service during World War II transporting supplies and personnel between Australia and t ...

* HMAS ''Wewak'' * One Beechcraft Super King Air from the 173rd Surveillance Squadron * Three S-70A Blackhawks from B Squadron, 5th Aviation Regiment * Navy

clearance divers A clearance diver was originally a specialist naval diver who used explosives underwater to remove obstructions to make harbours and shipping channels safe to navigate, but the term "clearance diver" was later used to include other naval und ...

* A health assessment team from

1st Health Support Battalion The 1st Close Health Battalion (1CHB) was a unit of the 17th Sustainment Brigade (Australia), 17th Sustainment Brigade of the Australian Army. It was headquartered at the Robertson Barracks, Robertson Army Barracks in Darwin, Northern Territory ...

* An engineering team

References

* Australian Department of Defenc
Operation Papua New Guinea Assist
Papua New Guinea Assist 2007 in Australia 2007 in Papua New Guinea