Royal Australian Corps of Signals

The Royal Australian Corps of Signals (RASigs) is one of the 'arms' (combat support corps) of the Australian Army. It is responsible for installing, maintaining and operating all types of telecommunications equipment and information systems. The motto of the Signals Corps is Certa Cito and is translated as 'Swift and Sure', signifying the aim of the signal service – that communication be carried out with maximum speed and certainty. Like their British counterparts, the Royal Australian Corps of Signals' flag and hat badge feature Mercury, the winged messenger of the gods, affectionately referred to by members of the corps as "Jimmy" (the origin dates back to the merge with Engineers when the Engineer's band's Drum Major had a "Jimmy" on his staff).

Modern Army command and control systems demand reliable, high speed transfer of large volumes of data. The communications systems provided by Signals must keep pace with modern information technology. The control of the electromagnetic spectrum offers a decisive advantage in modern warfare and Electronic Warfare, listening to or interfering with enemy electronic transmissions, is a critical contribution by the Signals Corps to the Army's combat capability.

On the battlefield Signals provides commanders with the means of controlling the battle using road and air dispatch services, radio, microwave and satellite links. A high technology computer switched digital network, capable of providing a high quality, high capacity, secure communications network is being introduced.

The Corps has recently taken over the responsibility for Army Information Systems. Signal Corps personnel now control large integrated information systems and are responsible for the installation and operation of local area networks using state-of-the art computer equipment.

Specialist roles in the Corps include: Communication System Operator (Known in the Corps as "Operators"), Telecommunications Technician (Known as "Techs" or "Techies"), Electronic Warfare Operator (Known as "Bears" from being primarily posted to a base near Cabarlah (Koala), QLD") and Information Systems Technician (Known as "Geeks").

History
Australia has the unique distinction of having had the first regularly formed signal unit in the British Empire. The Corps began in 1869 as a small "torpedo and signals corp", located in New South Wales and Victoria. These units existed until 1882, when they were disbanded. In 1885, a "signalling corps", composed of one officer and twelve other ranks, was created in South Australia and remained active until 1901.

After the inception of the Commonwealth Forces, an "Australian Corps of Signallers" was formed on 12 January 1906. This day is recognised as the Signal Corps' birthday. The Corps remained as a self-contained unit until 1911 when it was merged with Australian Engineers.

On 1 January 1925, the Australian Corps of Signals was formed and all Signals units were separated from the Australian Corps of Engineers.

At the conclusion of World War II, a silver salver was presented to the Australian Corps of Signals by Princess Mary as a memento of the co-operation between the Royal Corps of Signals and the Australian Corps of Signals throughout the Second World War.

On 10 November 1948, His Majesty King George VI conferred the title "Royal" on the Australian Corps of Signals. The day is recognised a "Corps Day", and commemorative functions are held on, or as near as possible to, 10 November each year.

Approval was given by Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, the Signals Corps' Colonel-in-Chief, on 10 September 1980 for the Corps to carry a banner bearing her Cipher. The banner is known as "The Princess Anne Banner", and was presented to the Signals Corps by the then Governor-General, The Right Honourable Sir Ninian Stephen on 29 November 1986.

On 5 July 2000, a parade was held for her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, The Princess Royal at Simpson Barracks, Watsonia, marking the 75th anniversary of the Corps.

Structure
The Royal Australian Signals Corps is divided into a number of regiments and squadrons, both Regular Army and Army Reserve. Each brigade of the Army has a Signals Squadron which forms part of the brigade's Command Support Regiment. The Army's two divisions each has a signal regiment.

Regular Army

 * Regiments
 * 1 Signal Regiment – Enoggera Barracks, Queensland – HQ 1 DIV (DJFHQ)
 * 101 Signal Squadron
 * 127 Signal Troop (Installation/Maintenance)
 * 7 Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) – Borneo Barracks, Queensland – 6 Brigade
 * 17 Signal Regiment – Holsworthy Barracks, NSW – 17 Combat Service Support Brigade
 * 110 Signal Squadron
 * 145 Signal Squadron
 * Squadrons
 * 102 Signal Squadron (3 Combat Signal Regiment) – 3 Brigade
 * 103 Signal Squadron (3 Combat Signal Regiment) – 3 Brigade
 * 104 Signal Squadron (1 Combat Signal Regiment) – 1 Brigade
 * 105 Signal Squadron (1 Combat Signal Regiment) – 1 Brigade
 * 126 Signal Squadron (2nd Commando Regiment) – Special Operations Command
 * 136 Signal Squadron – Fixed/Strategic
 * 138 Signal Squadron – Fixed/Strategic
 * 139 Signal Squadron (7 Combat Signal Regiment) – 7 Brigade
 * 140 Signal Squadron (7 Combat Signal Regiment) – 7 Brigade
 * 152 Signal Squadron (Special Air Service Regiment) – Special Operations Command

Army Reserve

 * Regiments
 * 8 Signal Regiment – 2nd Division
 * Squadrons
 * 108 Signal Squadron (4 Command Support Regiment) – 4 Brigade
 * 109 Signals Squadron (13 Command Support Regiment) – 13 Brigade
 * 141 Signal Squadron (11 Command Support Regiment) – 11 Brigade
 * 142 Signal Squadron – 8 Signal Regiment (ex 5 Brigade)
 * 143 Signal Squadron – 8 Signal Regiment
 * 144 Signal Squadron (9 Command Support Regiment) – 9 Brigade
 * 155 Signal Squadron – 8 Signal Regiment (ex 8 Brigade)
 * 301 Signal Squadron – 1st Commando Regiment

Colours
The Royal Australian Corps of Signals has two sets of colours, tactical and domestic. The Tactical colours are White on Royal blue. White symbolises the ribbons wound on the Caduceus of the God Hermes and the Blue representing the Royal Colours. The domestic colours, sky blue on dark blue on dark green, represent the three mediums of communication: air, sea and land.

Training
Soldiers joining the Signals Corps are given training specific to their field at the Defence Force School of Signals after first graduating from recruit training at the Army Recruit Training Centre, Kapooka. The School of Signals is a tri-service educational facility located on Simpson Barracks in Watsonia, Victoria. It is the home of the Signals Corps and the centre for defence training in communications and information systems for the Australian Defence Force. The school was previously located at Balcombe, before moving to Watsonia in the late 1960s. though Balcombe was maintained as a training location for some Signals and Army apprentice courses into the 1980s. The School also has an Electronic Warfare wing, called the Joint Telecommunications School, located on Borneo Barracks in Cabarlah, Queensland.

Regardless of specialisation, all soldiers joining the Signals Corps (On successful completion of the 80 Day Recruit Course held in Kapooka) first complete an eight day Common Corps course which provides basic Royal Australian Corps of Signals skills in radio, line laying and computing and is a prerequisite for all Australian Regular Army RA Sigs trade courses. The course (and most subsequent training) is held at Defence Force School of Signals, Simpson Barracks Macleod, Victoria. On successful completion of the Common Corps course, students will be placed in a holding platoon while they wait for their trade course to start. During this time students may be placed on other courses, such as driver training.


 * Communication Systems Operator: Communication Systems Operator training is a 25 week course that will ensure that trainees will be instructed in the operation and maintenance of military High Frequency (HF) and Very High Frequency (VHF) radios, portable satellite terminals, frequency hopping and cryptographic equipment. Communication Systems Operators will also be trained to deploy computer networks and to operate computer based communications applications. This training will be conducted in a range of simulated environments based upon vehicle and Command Post operations.


 * Telecommunications Technician: Telecommunications Technician training is a 72 Week course that incorporates all aspects of the telecommunications communications equipment used in RA Sigs Units. Subjects include telecommunications cabling, satellite theory and equipment stations, circuit switch networks, telephone systems and local and wide area computer networks


 * Electronic Warfare Operator: The Electronic Warfare Operator course is delivered in two parts due to the security clearance requirements.
 * Part One is of 22 weeks duration and is delivered at the Australian Defence Force School of Languages, RAAF Williams Laverton, VIC.
 * Part Two is currently of 36 weeks duration and is delivered at Defence Force School of Signals, Electronic Warfare Wing, Borneo Barracks, Cabarlah, QLD.
 * This course trains ARA trainees in Electronic Warfare and Signal Intelligence fundamentals, including basic language skills, and typing.
 * You must have a Top Secret Positive Vetted (TSPV) clearance in order to commence your Part Two training, which (depending on the individual and personal history) can take from 6 to 12 months.
 * During your Electronic Warfare Operator – Language specialist course you can expect to complete regular after hours study.
 * Both the ADF School of Languages and the Defence Force School of Signals (DFSS) are tri-service training facilities and you will be training alongside Navy and Air Force personnel.


 * Information Systems Technician: Training incorporates a wide variety of Information Technology (IT) subjects ranging from fundamentals of computing, fault finding hardware and software problems and network operating systems. Subjects include installation of applications, peripheral devices, operating a help desk, data communications and operation of a Deployable Local Area Network (DLAN).

Equipment
Parakeet was the project name used by the Australian Army's mobile BTN (Battlefield Telecommunications Network). It was introduced into service in the mid 1990s through project JP65. At the time of its introduction, Project Parakeet was considered to be a highly advanced military communications system. It included secure voice and data trunking services. In 2002, the Defence Force raised Project JP2072 to upgrade its sub-systems. Today, years after its introduction, it is still incorrectly referred to as Parakeet. The Parakeet suite of equipment is operated by members of the Telecommunications Technician trade.