Warrant Officer Dan Hickey enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in 2002 as an Air Surveillance Operator (ASOP). Completing an initial posting at No. 3 Control and Reporting Unit (3CRU) at RAAF Williamtown, before posting to No. 1 Radar Surveillance Unit (1RSU) at RAAF Edinburgh in 2003. He was employed in various operational positions on the surveillance crews, operating the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) to conduct Over The Horizon Radar (OTHR) surveillance of Australia’s air and sea northern approaches.
In 2007, Warrant Officer Hickey promoted to Corporal and in 2008 he deployed to Afghanistan, Kandahar Air Field with No. 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit performing the tactical C2 of the Afghanistan Battle Management Area in support of Op SLIPPER. From 2009-2013 Warrant Officer Hickey continued his posting at 1RSU performing OTHR operations, Training Development and as an Instructor.
In 2013, Warrant Officer Hickey was promoted to Sergeant and posted overseas for three years to the United States, Colorado, as part of a small Australian detachment intergraded within the U.S. Air Force. Attached to 2nd Space Warning Squadron as a Mission Crew Chief he performed the U.S. Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) missile warning mission before moving across to 460th Operational Support Squadron as the Lead Mission Instructor. Whilst posted to the U.S. Warrant Officer Hickey was the first Commonwealth partner recipient for the U.S. award for ‘Military Person of the year’. Additionally, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for distinguished performance and outstanding service to the United States.
Upon return to Australia in 2016, Warrant Officer Hickey posted back to No. 1 Remote Sensor Unit, within the Space Operations Flight. For his efforts in this role he was awarded the Wing-level ‘Pither Trophy’ recognising his positive contribution in the development of Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) operations in support of 41WG activities. Warrant Officer Hickey was promoted to Flight Sergeant in 2019 at which point he moved into a Crew Chief role within the Battlespace Surveillance Centre (BSC) before eventually into an operations planning support role.
In 2022, Warrant Officer Hickey posted to Surveillance and Control Training Unit (SACTU) as the OIC Training Development and OIC Space Training. The later; responsible for delivery of all SACTU ‘space’ training to include the ‘Space Fundamentals Course’ for ADF, APS and key industry partners. In his second year at SACTU Warrant Officer Hickey continued as OIC Space Training whilst also fulfilling the role of Senior Airman Training Support.
Warrant Officer Hickey was recognised in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours Awards and awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for outstanding devotion to duty in space-based missile warning development and operationalisation for the ADF. Warrant Officer Hickey is currently posted within Space Command - No.1 Space Surveillance Unit (1SSU) performing in the role as the Unit’s inaugural Squadron Warrant Officer.
Warrant Officer Hickey is married to his wife Jessica and has two children - Hugh (8) and Eve (3). Outside of work his interests include motorsport - following Formula One primarily, touch football, SIM and go-kart racing with his son and finding things to do in the garage.