5 February 2025
Command of the only permanent ADF headquarters outside of Australia has changed hands, with Captain Brett Westcott, RAN, officially taking the helm of Headquarters Middle East on December 9.
Being entrusted with the leadership of such a vital mission was a privilege according to Captain Westcott, who took over from Colonel Scottie Morris during a ceremony held at Camp Baird in the UAE.
“We have an enormous legacy in this region. The ADF has been in the Middle East since 1914 in one way or another, and we still have people deployed here on many operations,” he said.
“We are a small but an important part of that legacy. This base provides a staging point, a critical piece of real estate in an important part of the world, to enable our operations in those regions.”
Headquarters Middle East (HQME) provides support to different operations across the Middle East and into Europe.
Support ranges from kitting-out troops moving onwards to different regions or sending specialist support teams forward to provide aid to other operations.
Deputy Commander HQME Wing Commander Simon Longley said over the past calendar year they had completed more than 40 support tasks ranging from communications fit-outs to explosive ordnance technical support.
“Whatever requirements the outlying operations need, we can rapidly assist using the broad expertise of the HQME team,” he said.
“On more than one occasion we’ve delivered specialised equipment that our technicians use to establish secure communications for regional operations that have not previously had this capability.”
'Our positive engagement with the UAE Armed Forces on the base is key to the success of HQME and underpins the support we provide to operations.'
It is the sixth deployment to the Middle East for Wing Commander Longley – his first was back in 2003 with the AP-3C Orion surveillance aircraft.
“It’s a privilege to be back here again. I’ve seen the relationship with the host nation develop and grow in the 23 years of continuous operations from Al Minhad Air Base,” he said.
“Our positive engagement with the UAE Armed Forces on the base is key to the success of HQME and underpins the support we provide to operations, and maintaining a global mobility hub so the Australian Government can respond rapidly to issues in the region.”
Looking ahead to the next 12 months of command, Captain Westcott said he was excited to build on the excellent work started by his predecessors.
“I’m looking forward to consolidating our position on the base, improving our capability in terms of infrastructure and continuing to improve and develop relations,” he said.
“If anyone’s coming through the Middle East for service reasons, we’re here for you. You don’t have to stay in a hotel, Camp Baird is open for you. We’ll welcome you, accommodate you, and feed you … and there’s a great gym here too.”
