Navy's Laser Airborne Depth Sounder (LADS) Dash 8

The RAN Hydrographic Service, in addition to the six survey ships, also employs an extremely capable and effective airborne unit. The Navy's Laser Airborne Depth Sounder (LADS) Flight was formed in 1992 after more than 20 years of research and development. The first LADS aircraft used was built in 1976 and previously operated by East West airlines. It was the last operational F27 in Australia and had been extensively modified to incorporate bay doors under the fuselage, additional fuel tanks, precise navigation systems, and a stabilised platform for the laser. The Fokker was replaced in November 2009 with the de Havilland Dash 8 – 200. The Dash 8 had previously been used by Fugro LADS Corp (formally Tenix LADS Corp) conducting similar survey activities internationally. The Australian Navy was the first and remains one of only a few military organisations in the world to employ this survey technique.
The LADS Flight is based at Cairns airport in Far North Queensland however the entire unit can be deployed for up to 3 months. In recent years these deployments have included Mackay, Darwin and Broome.

NAVYSVY VH-LCL DH8B departing Cairns today.



VH-LCL DH8B at Cairns