THE German Army has invaded Outback South Australia
But it's a friendly force from the European powerhouse, which is testing the breaking point of new armaments against the backdrop of the harsh and hot conditions of the Woomera Prohibited Area.
More than 100 soldiers are conducting the field trials - including live firing - from the Boxer armoured vehicle and the Weisel reconnaissance vehicle.
The Mikado mini-unmanned aerial vehicle, which features an infrared camera for surveillance, is also being put through its paces.
The choice of Australia as a testing ground reflects the "close political, military and strategic co-operation" between the two countries, which has been reflected most recently in the war on terrorism in Afghanistan.
Australia, from a German perspective, is the only place possible for the climatic and near-operational conditions," German army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Stefan Heydt said.
"We are fighting in Afghanistan and we need to test this equipment to ensure our personnel are safe on the ground."
The trials are scheduled to begin on the weekend and end in early March, when the company will relocate to Townsville to test the equipment in hot, humid conditions
Ironically, the decision to build the Woomera rocket range in 1947 was partially as a consequence of German rocket attacks on Britain during World War II.
But six decades on, this German invasion is creating a mini-economic boom for the town.
The local hotel-motel, the Eldo Hotel, is expecting 117 German soldiers and civilians.
"The Germans are easy because they like meat and potatoes which we have lots of," manager Phil Young said.
"It's great for us - obviously they're on tight timelines but it's still good for the town."
The largest plane in the world, the Soviet-built Antonov, was used to transport the vehicles.
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18-02-2010, 16:10
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