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The Royal Australian Air Force’s Olgeta Aviator Mobile Training Team – Charlie is deepening Australia’s defence partnership with Papua New Guinea, working side by side with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force Air Transport Wing.
This partnership is designed to build skills, capability and long-term regional security across the South Pacific and is deployed under Australia’s Defence Cooperation Program.
The six-person Mobile Training Team – Charlie (MTT-C) team is embedded with PNGDF counterparts on three-month rotations, three times a year. Their focus spans training, flight operations, aircraft maintenance, logistics and personnel management, areas critical to building a capable and self-reliant air force in the near region.
The most recent team, deployed in September, concentrated on strengthening professional relationships, sharing expertise and learning from PNG’s demanding operating environment, an experience that underscored the value of close defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
PNGDF personnel welcomed the RAAF team into their Flights of Excellence program, an initiative focused on professional standards and continuous improvement.
“PNGDF have generously welcomed us into their Flights of Excellence program and I feel honoured to be working alongside such proud and patriotic people,” MTT-C maintenance specialist Sergeant Daniel Murchie said.
“This experience has reignited my passion for teaching maintenance practices and procedures. My time in PNG will be one of the most fulfilling experiences of my RAAF career.”
The deployment was reinforced by personnel from No. 65 Air Base Recovery Squadron, who spent a month delivering construction, maintenance and renovation works at Kiki Barracks in Port Moresby, improving housing for Air Transport Wing families while mentoring PNGDF trades.
“The team are making a real difference to the quality of life for ATW families,” 65ABRS site supervisor Warrant Officer Steve Clarke said.
“I’m extremely proud of the professionalism and dedication shown by our people. They’ve delivered practical solutions in challenging conditions while developing PNGDF trade skills.”
Beyond infrastructure support, the RAAF team worked closely with PNGDF personnel on operational planning, hands-on technical training and leadership development.
Training systems officers from both forces exchanged best practice, strengthening interoperability and laying the groundwork for future combined operations.
Training systems officer Flying Officer Dana Jacquin said collaboration was central to the success of the deployment.
“Their openness and commitment to learning created an environment where cooperation really thrived,” FLGOFF Jacquin said.
“The warmth of the PNG people made this experience truly memorable.”
Following Papua New Guinea’s 50th anniversary of independence celebrations, MTT-C’s efforts have increasingly focused on helping the PNGDF establish an Air Operations Centre – a key step in improving command, control and situational awareness, and a practical contribution to regional security.
The partnership has also extended well beyond the flight line. RAAF members took part in community engagement and cultural exchanges, including the Kokoda Track, visits to the Cheshire Disability School, social events with PNGDF colleagues and participation in regular defence leadership activities.
Wing Commander Shane Prior, from the Air Defence Cooperation Program, said the work reflected Australia’s broader responsibility to support stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.
“This program is about far more than capability – it’s about relationships,” WGCDR Prior said.
“With the signing of the Pukpuk Treaty, cooperation between Australia and PNG has entered a new and more meaningful phase, grounded in mutual respect, shared values and common strategic interests.
“Every deployment builds trust and every engagement strengthens a defence partnership that underpins a safer, more resilient Indo-Pacific.”
The Olgeta Aviator initiative continues to demonstrate how practical defence cooperation can deliver real outcomes – improving capability, reinforcing sovereignty and contributing to regional stability – while building enduring people-to-people links that are essential to Australia’s role as a trusted security partner in the Pacific.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
