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Royal Australian Air Force

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal air and space force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army.[4] Constitutionally, the Governor-General of Australia, is the de jure Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force. The Royal Australian Air Force is commanded by the Chief of Air Force (CAF), who is subordinate to the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF). The CAF is also directly responsible to the Minister for Defence, with the Department of Defence administering the ADF and the Air Force.[5]

Royal Australian Air Force
Founded31 March 1921; 101 years ago (1921-03-31)[1]
Country Australia
TypeAir force
RoleAerial warfare
Size14,313 Active personnel[2]
5,499 Reserve personnel
239+ Aircraft
Part ofAustralian Defence Force
HeadquartersRussell Offices, Canberra
Motto(s)Latin: Per Ardua ad Astra
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
March
  • Royal Australian Air Force March Past
  • ("Eagles of Australia"), by Squadron Leader Ron Mitchell
AnniversariesRAAF Anniversary Commemoration – 31 March
Engagements
Websitewww.airforce.gov.au
Commanders
Commander-in-ChiefGovernor-General David Hurley as representative of Charles III as King of Australia[3]
Chief of the Defence ForceGeneral Angus Campbell
Chief of the Air ForceAir Marshal Robert Chipman
Deputy Chief of the Air ForceAir Vice-Marshal Stephen Meredith
Air Commander AustraliaAir Vice-Marshal Darren Goldie
Warrant Officer of the Air ForceWarrant Officer of the Air Force Ralph Clifton
Insignia
Logo
Roundel
Ensign
Aircraft flown
Electronic
warfare
EA-18G Growler, E-7A Wedgetail
FighterF-35A Lightning II, F/A-18F Super Hornet
PatrolAP-3C Orion, P-8A Poseidon
TrainerPC-21, Hawk 127, KA350
TransportC-130J Hercules, C-17A Globemaster III, 737 BBJ, Falcon 7X, KC-30A MRTT, C-27J Spartan

Formed in March 1921, as the Australian Air Force, through the separation of the Australian Air Corps from the Army in January 1920, which in turn amalgamated the separate aerial services of both the Army and Navy. It directly continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps (AFC), the aviation corps of the Army that fought in the First World War and that was formed on 22 October 1912.[6]

During its history, the Royal Australian Air Force has fought in a number of major wars, including the Second World War in Europe and the Pacific, participated in the Berlin Airlift, Korean War, Malayan Emergency, Indonesia–Malaysia Confrontation, Vietnam War, and more recently in operations in East Timor, the Iraq War and subsequent intervention, and the War in Afghanistan.

It operates the majority of the ADF's fixed wing aircraft, although both the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy also operate aircraft in various roles.[7][8] The RAAF provides support across a spectrum of operations such as air superiority, precision strikes, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, air mobility, space surveillance, and humanitarian support. The RAAF has 259 aircraft, of which 110 are combat aircraft.

History

Formation

The RAAF traces its history back to the 1911 Imperial Conference that was held in London, where it was decided aviation should be developed within the armed forces of the British Empire. Australia implemented this decision, the first dominion to do so, by approving the establishment of the "Australian Aviation Corps". This initially consisted of the Central Flying School at Point Cook, Victoria, opening on 22 October 1912.[9] By 1914 the corps was known as the "Australian Flying Corps".[10]

First World War

Soon after the outbreak of war in 1914, the Australian Flying Corps sent aircraft to assist in capturing German colonies in what is now north-east New Guinea. However, these colonies surrendered quickly, before the planes were even unpacked. The first operational flights did not occur until 27 May 1915, when the Mesopotamian Half Flight was called upon to assist the Indian Army in providing air support during the Mesopotamian Campaign against the Ottoman Empire, in what is now Iraq.[11]

The corps later saw action in Egypt, Palestine and on the Western Front throughout the remainder of the First World War. By the end of the war, four squadrons—Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4—had seen operational service, while another four training squadrons—Nos. 5, 6, 7 and 8—had also been established. A total of 460 officers and 2,234 other ranks served in the AFC, whilst another 200 men served as aircrew in the British flying services.[12] Casualties included 175 dead, 111 wounded, 6 gassed and 40 captured.[13]

Inter-war period

The Australian Flying Corps remained part of the Australian Army until 1919, when it was disbanded along with the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Although the Central Flying School continued to operate at Point Cook, military flying virtually ceased until 1920, when the interim Australian Air Corps (AAC), with a wing each for the Army and the Navy,[14] was formed as a unit of the Army.[15] The AAC was succeeded by the Australian Air Force which was formed on 31 March 1921.[16][17][18] King George V approved the prefix "Royal" in May 1921 and became effective on 13 August 1921.[19] The RAAF then became the second Royal air arm to be formed in the British Commonwealth, following the British Royal Air Force.[20] When formed the RAAF had more aircraft than personnel, with 21 officers and 128 other ranks and 153 aircraft.[18]

As British aircraft manufacturers at the time were unable to meet Australian requirements, in addition to British production demands, the Australian government established the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in 1936 and purchased some American aircraft.[21]

Second World War

Europe and the Mediterranean

In September 1939, the Australian Air Board directly controlled the Air Force via RAAF Station Laverton, RAAF Station Richmond, RAAF Station Pearce, No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF at Point Cook, RAAF Station Rathmines and five smaller units.[22]

In 1939, just after the outbreak of the Second World War, Australia joined the Empire Air Training Scheme, under which flight crews received basic training in Australia before travelling to Canada for advanced training. A total of 17 RAAF bomber, fighter, reconnaissance and other squadrons served initially in Britain and with the Desert Air Force located in North Africa and the Mediterranean. Thousands of Australians also served with other Commonwealth air forces in Europe during the Second World War.[23] About nine percent of the personnel who served under British RAF commands in Europe and the Mediterranean were RAAF personnel.[24]

With British manufacturing targeted by the German Luftwaffe, in 1941 the Australian government created the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP; later known as the Government Aircraft Factories) to supply Commonwealth air forces,[25] and the RAAF was eventually provided with large numbers of locally built versions of British designs such as the DAP Beaufort torpedo bomber, Beaufighters and Mosquitos, as well as other types such as Wirraways, Boomerangs, and Mustangs.[23]

In the European theatre of the war, RAAF personnel were especially notable in RAF Bomber Command: although they represented just two percent of all Australian enlistments during the war, they accounted for almost twenty percent of those killed in action. This statistic is further illustrated by the fact that No. 460 Squadron RAAF, mostly flying Avro Lancasters, had an official establishment of about 200 aircrew and yet had 1,018 combat deaths. The squadron was therefore effectively wiped out five times over.[26] Total RAAF casualties in Europe were 5,488 killed or missing.[23]

 
Curtiss Kittyhawk Mk IA of 75 Squadron RAAF, which F/O Geoff Atherton flew over New Guinea in August 1942.

Pacific War

 
The Brewster F2A Buffalo participated in air campaigns over Malayan, Singapore and Dutch East Indies

The beginning of the Pacific War—and the rapid advance of Japanese forces—threatened the Australian mainland for the first time in its history. The RAAF was quite unprepared for the emergency, and initially had negligible forces available for service in the Pacific. In 1941 and early 1942, many RAAF airmen, including Nos. 1, 8, 21 and 453 Squadrons, saw action with the RAF Far East Command in the Malayan, Singapore and Dutch East Indies campaigns. Equipped with aircraft such as the Brewster Buffalo, and Lockheed Hudsons, the Australian squadrons suffered heavily against Japanese Zeros.[27]

During the fighting for Rabaul in early 1942, No. 24 Squadron RAAF fought a brief, but ultimately futile defence as the Japanese advanced south towards Australia.[28] The devastating air raids on Darwin on 19 February 1942 increased concerns about the direct threat facing Australia. In response, some RAAF squadrons were transferred from the northern hemisphere—although a substantial number remained there until the end of the war. Shortages of fighter and ground attack planes led to the acquisition of US-built Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks and the rapid design and manufacture of the first Australian fighter, the CAC Boomerang. RAAF Kittyhawks came to play a crucial role in the New Guinea and Solomon Islands campaigns, especially in operations like the Battle of Milne Bay. As a response to a possible Japanese chemical warfare threat the RAAF imported hundreds of thousands of chemical weapons into Australia.[29]

In the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, imported Bristol Beaufighters proved to be highly effective ground attack and maritime strike aircraft. Beaufighters were later made locally by the DAP from 1944.[30] Although it was much bigger than Japanese fighters, the Beaufighter had the speed to outrun them.[31] The RAAF operated a number of Consolidated PBY Catalina as long-range bombers and scouts. The RAAF's heavy bomber force was predominantly made up of 287 B-24 Liberators, equipping seven squadrons, which could bomb Japanese targets as far away as Borneo and the Philippines from airfields in Australia and New Guinea.[32] By late 1945, the RAAF had received or ordered about 500 P-51 Mustangs, for fighter/ground attack purposes. The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation initially assembled US-made Mustangs, but later manufactured most of those used.[33]

By mid-1945, the RAAF's main operational formation in the Pacific, the First Tactical Air Force (1st TAF), consisted of over 21,000 personnel, while the RAAF as a whole consisted of about 50 squadrons and 6,000 aircraft, of which over 3,000 were operational.[34] The 1st TAF's final campaigns were fought in support of Australian ground forces in Borneo,[35] but had the war continued some of its personnel and equipment would likely have been allocated to the invasion of the Japanese mainland, along with some of the RAAF bomber squadrons in Europe, which were to be grouped together with British and Canadian squadrons as part of the proposed Tiger Force. However, the war was brought to a sudden end by the US nuclear attacks on Japan.[36] The RAAF's casualties in the Pacific were around 2,000 killed, wounded or captured.[35]

By the time the war ended, a total of 216,900 men and women served in the RAAF, of whom 10,562 were killed in action; a total of 76 squadrons were formed.[37] With over 152,000 personnel operating nearly 6,000 aircraft it was the world's fourth-largest air force.[38]

Cold War

Postwar

 
Two RAAF Mirage III fighters in 1980

During the Berlin Airlift, in 1948–49, the RAAF Squadron Berlin Air Lift aided the international effort to fly in supplies to the stricken city; two RAF Avro York aircraft were also crewed by RAAF personnel. Although a small part of the operation, the RAAF contribution was significant, flying 2,062 sorties and carrying 7,030 tons of freight and 6,964 passengers.[39]

In the Korean War, from 1950 to 1953, North American Mustangs from No. 77 Squadron RAAF, stationed in Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force, were among the first United Nations aircraft to be deployed, in ground support, combat air patrol, and escort missions. When the UN planes were confronted by North Korean Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet fighters, 77 Sqn acquired Gloster Meteors, however the MiGs remained superior and the Meteors were relegated to ground support missions as the North Koreans gained experience. The air force also operated transport aircraft during the conflict. No. 77 Squadron flew 18,872 sorties, claiming the destruction of 3,700 buildings, 1,408 vehicles, 16 bridges, 98 railway carriages and an unknown number of enemy personnel. Three MiG-15s were confirmed destroyed, and two others probably destroyed. RAAF casualties included 41 killed and seven captured; 66 aircraft – 22 Mustangs and 44 Meteors – were lost.[40]

In July 1952, No. 78 Wing RAAF was deployed to Malta in the Mediterranean where it formed part of a British force which sought to counter the Soviet Union's influence in the Middle East as part of Australia's Cold War commitments. Consisting of No. 75 and 76 Squadrons equipped with de Havilland Vampire jet fighters, the wing provided an air garrison for the island for the next two and half years, returning to Australia in late 1954.[41]

In 1953, a Royal Air Force officer, Air Marshal Sir Donald Hardman, was brought out to Australia to become Chief of the Air Staff.[42] He reorganised the RAAF into three commands: Home Command, Maintenance Command, and Training Command. Five years later, Home Command was renamed Operational Command, and Training Command and Maintenance Command were amalgamated to form Support Command.[43]

South East Asia operations

 
An RAAF F/A-18 with a USAF KC-135, two F-15Es, an F-117, two F-16s and a RAF Tornado over Iraq

In the Malayan Emergency, from 1950 to 1960, six Avro Lincolns from No. 1 Squadron RAAF and a flight of Douglas Dakotas from No. 38 Squadron RAAF took part in operations against the communist guerrillas (labelled as "Communist Terrorists" by the British authorities) as part of the RAF Far East Air Force. The Dakotas were used on cargo runs, in troop movement and in paratroop and leaflet drops within Malaya. The Lincolns, operating from bases in Singapore and from Kuala Lumpur, formed the backbone of the air war against the CTs, conducting bombing missions against their jungle bases. Although results were often difficult to assess, they allowed the government to harass CT forces, attack their base camps when identified and keep them on the move. Later, in 1958, Canberra bombers from No. 2 Squadron RAAF were deployed to Malaya and took part in bombing missions against the CTs.[44]

During the Vietnam War, from 1964 to 1972, the RAAF contributed Caribou STOL transport aircraft as part of the RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam, later redesignated No. 35 Squadron RAAF, UH-1 Iroquois helicopters from No. 9 Squadron RAAF, and English Electric Canberra bombers from No. 2 Squadron RAAF. The Canberras flew 11,963 bombing sorties, and two aircraft were lost. One went missing during a bombing raid. The wreckage of the aircraft was recovered in April 2009, and the remains of the crew were found in late July 2009. The other was shot down by a surface-to-air missile, although both crew were rescued. They dropped 76,389 bombs and were credited with 786 enemy personnel confirmed killed and a further 3,390 estimated killed, 8,637 structures, 15,568 bunkers, 1,267 sampans and 74 bridges destroyed.[45] RAAF transport aircraft also supported anti-communist ground forces. The UH-1 helicopters were used in many roles including medical evacuation and close air support. RAAF casualties in Vietnam included six killed in action, eight non-battle fatalities, 30 wounded in action and 30 injured.[46] A small number of RAAF pilots also served in United States Air Force units, flying F-4 Phantom fighter-bombers or serving as forward air controllers.[47]

In September 1975, a group of 44 civilians, including armed supporters of the Timorese Democratic Union (UDT), commandeered an RAAF Caribou, A4-140, on the ground at Baucau Airport in the then Portuguese Timor, which was in the middle of a civil war. The Caribou had landed at Baucau on a humanitarian mission for the International Committee of the Red Cross. The civilians demanded that the RAAF crew members fly them to Darwin Airport (also RAAF Base Darwin) in Australia, which they did. After the Caribou arrived there, the Australian government detained the civilians for a short period, and then granted refugee visas to all of them. The Guardian later described A4-140 as "the only RAAF plane ever hijacked", and the incident as "one of the more remarkable stories in Australia's military and immigration history".[48]

Recent history (1990–present)

 
A Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet at the 2013 Avalon Airshow

Military airlifts were conducted for a number of purposes in subsequent decades, such as the peacekeeping operations in East Timor from 1999. Australia's combat aircraft were not used again in combat until the Iraq War in 2003, when 14 F/A-18s from No. 75 Squadron RAAF operated in the escort and ground attack roles, flying a total of 350 sorties and dropping 122 laser-guided bombs.[49] A detachment of AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft were deployed in the Middle East between 2003 and 2012. These aircraft conducted maritime surveillance patrols over the Persian Gulf and North Arabian Sea in support of Coalition warships and boarding parties, as well as conducting extensive overland flights of Iraq and Afghanistan on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and supporting counter-piracy operations in Somalia.[50] From 2007 to 2009, a detachment of No. 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit RAAF was on active service at Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan.[51] Approximately 75 personnel deployed with the AN/TPS-77 radar assigned the responsibility to co-ordinate coalition air operations.[52] A detachment of IAI Heron unmanned aerial vehicles has been deployed in Afghanistan since January 2010.[53]

In late September 2014, an Air Task Group consisting of up to eight F/A-18F Super Hornets, a KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft and 400 personnel was deployed to Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates as part of the coalition to combat Islamic State forces in Iraq.[54] Operations began on 1 October.[55] A number of C-17 and C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft based in the Middle East have also been used to conduct airdrops of humanitarian aid and to airlift arms and munitions since August.[56][57][58][59]

In June 2017, two RAAF AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft were deployed to the southern Philippines in response to the Marawi crisis.[60][61][62]

In 2021, the Royal Australian Air Force commemorated its 100th anniversary.[63] Later that year, on 29 November, the Hornet was officially retired from RAAF service, with a ceremony to mark the occasion taking place that day at RAAF Base Williamtown.[64]

In January 2022, two RAAF P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and one C-130J Hercules departed RAAF Amberley and Richmond to conduct aerial reconnaissance of Tonga in the wake of the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai eruption and tsunami. According to Australian Defence News, the flights were to “help determine the extent of the damage [to Tongan infrastructure]… and inform future disaster support requests.”[65][66]

Structure

Headquarters

Force Element Groups

Wings and squadrons

Flying squadrons

Non-flying squadrons

Wings

Personnel

Strength

As of June 2018, the RAAF had 14,313 permanent full-time personnel and 5,499 part-time active reserve personnel.[67]

Women

 
The first women to become RAAF pilots in 1988

The RAAF established the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) in March 1941, which then became the Women's Royal Australian Air Force (WRAAF) in 1951.[68] The service merged with the RAAF in 1977; however, all women in the Australian military were barred from combat-related roles until 1990. Women have been eligible for flying roles in the RAAF since 1987, with the RAAF's first women pilots awarded their "wings" in 1988.[69] In 2016, the remaining restrictions on women in frontline combat roles were removed, and the first two female RAAF fast jet fighter pilots graduated in December 2017. Air Force has implemented several programs to assist women who choose a pilot career. Entry to the Graduate Pilot Scheme is open to women who are currently undertaking a Bachelor of Aviation (BAv). Once qualified, women pilots are able to access the Flying Females Mentoring Network. Men and women are required to undergo the same basic fitness tests to become a pilot; however the standards are lower for females. For some roles, the requirement cannot be adjusted for safety reasons.[70][71]

Ranks

The rank structure of the nascent RAAF was established to ensure that the service remained separate from the Army and Navy.[72] The service's predecessors, the AFC and the AAC, had used the Army's rank structure. In November 1920 it was decided by the Air Board that the RAAF would adopt the structure adopted by the RAF the previous year.[14] As a result, the RAAF's rank structure came to be: Aircraftman, Leading Aircraftman, Corporal, Sergeant, Flight Sergeant, Warrant Officer, Officer Cadet, Pilot Officer, Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, Group Captain, Air Commodore, Air Vice-Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Chief Marshal, Marshal of the RAAF.[73]

Officer insignia

Rank Grouping General/Flag Officers Field/Senior Officers Junior Officers Officer Cadet
NATO Code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1 OF(D)
  Australia Officer rank insignia                        
Rank Title: Marshal of the RAAF Air Chief Marshal Air Marshal Air Vice-Marshal Air Commodore Group Captain Wing Commander Squadron Leader Flight Lieutenant Flying Officer Pilot Officer Officer Cadet
Abbreviation: MRAAF ACM AIRMSHL AVM AIRCDRE GPCAPT WGCDR SQNLDR FLTLT FLGOFF PLTOFF OFFCDT

Other ranks insignia

Rank Group Non-commissioned officer Other ranks
NATO Code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
  Australia Other Ranks Insignia               No insignia
Rank Title: Warrant Officer of the Air Force Warrant Officer Flight Sergeant Sergeant Corporal Leading Aircraftman Aircraftman Recruit
Abbreviation: WOFF-AF WOFF FSGT SGT CPL LAC/W AC/W ACR/ACWR

Uniforms

In 1922, the colour of the RAAF winter uniform was determined by Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams on a visit to the Geelong Wool Mill. He asked for one dye dip fewer than the RAN blue (three indigo dips rather than four). There was a change to a lighter blue when an all-seasons uniform was introduced in the 1970s. The original colour and style were re-adopted around 2005.[74][75] Slip-on rank epaulettes, known as "Soft Rank Insignia" (SRI), displaying the word "AUSTRALIA" are worn on the shoulders of the service dress uniform.[73] When not in the service dress or "ceremonial" uniform, RAAF personnel wear the General Purpose Uniform (GPU) as a working dress, which is a blue version of the Australian Multicam Pattern.[76]

Aircraft

Current inventory

 
An F-35 taking off during the Australian International Airshow
 
A C-17A Globemaster III
 
A BAe Hawk on approach
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
F/A-18F Super Hornet United States multirole F/A-18F 24[77]
F-35A Lightning II United States multirole F-35A 59[78] 13 on order
AWACS
E-7A Wedgetail United States AEW&C E-7A 6[77]
Electronic Warfare
EA-18G Growler United States radar jamming / SEAD 11 1 on order[77]
MC-55A Peregrine United States SIGINT / ELINT MC-55A 4 on order[79][77]
Maritime Patrol
AP-3C Orion United States ASW / maritime patrol AP-3C 2[77]
P-8A Poseidon United States ASW / maritime patrol P-8A 12 2 on order[77]
Tanker
KC-30 Multi-Role Tanker Transport Spain aerial refuelling / transport KC-30A 7[77]
Transport
C-17A Globemaster III United States strategic airlifter C-17A 8[77]
C-27J Spartan Italy utility transport 10[77]
C-130J Super Hercules United States tactical airlifter C-130J-30 12[77]
Beechcraft Super King Air United States utility / transport 350 8[77] 3 used for ISTAR mission[80]
Boeing 737 United States VIP transport 2[81]
Dassault Falcon 7X France VIP transport 3[82]
Trainer Aircraft
BAE Hawk United Kingdom primary trainer Hawk 127 33[77]
Beechcraft Super King Air United States multi-engine trainer 350 4[77]
Pilatus PC-21 Switzerland trainer 49[77]
UAV
MQ-4 Triton United States HALE maritime ISR MQ-4C 1 6 on order[83]
MQ-28 Ghost Bat Australia AI UCAV 6 on order[84]

Armament

 
Paveway II laser-guided bomb
 
AIM-9L Sidewinder
Name Origin Type Notes
Air-to-air missile
ASRAAM United Kingdom IR guided missile 200 units[85]
AIM-120 AMRAAM United States beyond-visual-range missile 360 units[85]
AIM-9 Sidewinder United States IR guided missile 1297 units of which 47 are AIM-9X[85]
Air-to-surface missile
AGM-88 HARM United States anti-radiation missile
AGM-154 United States joint standoff weapon 50 units[85]
AGM-158 United States 260 units[85] Will be integrated onboard F/A-18F[86]
General-purpose bomb
JDAM United States precision-guided munition 100 units[85]
GBU-15 United States precision-guided munition 100 units[85]
GBU-10 Paveway II United States laser-guided bomb 100 units[85]
Anti-ship missile
AGM-158C LRASM. United States. Stealthy long range anti ship missile.
Naval Strike Missile. Norway.
Mark 54 torpedo United States anti-sub weapon 250[85]
AGM-84 Harpoon United States 305[85]

Roundel and badge

Originally, the air force used the red, white and blue roundel of the RAF. However, during the Second World War the inner red circle, which was visually similar to the Japanese hinomaru, was removed after a No. 11 Squadron Catalina was mistaken for a Japanese aircraft and attacked by a Grumman Wildcat of VMF-212 of the United States Marine Corps on 27 June 1942.[87][88] After the war, a range of options for the RAAF roundel was proposed, including the Southern Cross, a boomerang, a sprig of wattle, and a red kangaroo. On 2 July 1956, the current version of the roundel was formally adopted. This consists of a white inner circle with a red kangaroo surrounded by a royal blue circle. The kangaroo faces left, except when used on aircraft or vehicles, when the kangaroo should always face forward.[87] Low visibility versions of the roundel exist, with the white omitted and the red and blue replaced with light or dark grey.[89]

The RAAF badge was accepted by the Chester Herald in 1939. The badge is composed of the St Edward's Crown mounted on a circle featuring the words Royal Australian Air Force, beneath which scroll work displays the Latin motto Per Ardua Ad Astra, which it shares with the Royal Air Force. Surmounting the badge is a wedge-tailed eagle. Per Ardua Ad Astra is attributed with the meaning "Through Adversity to the Stars" and is from Sir Henry Rider Haggard's novel The People of the Mist.[90]

Music

The "Eagles of Australia" is the official march of the RAAF and is played as a quick march when the RAAF bands perform public duties in the capital. Composed by the RAAF's Director of Music, Squadron Leader Ron Mitchell (who was also director of the Air Force Band), it was officially adopted as the RAAF's new march music on 23 March 1983, replacing the Royal Air Force March Past, which had long been the RAAF's march as well as the marchpast of other Commonwealth air forces. Subsequently, journalist Frank Cranston wrote lyrics to the march and a musical score was produced by September of the following year.[91]

Roulettes

The Roulettes are the RAAF's formation aerobatic display team. They perform around Australia and South-east Asia, and are part of the RAAF Central Flying School (CFS) at RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria.[92] The Roulettes use the Pilatus PC-21 and formations for shows are done in a group of six aircraft. The pilots learn many formations including loops, rolls, corkscrews, and ripple roles. Most of the performances are done at the low altitude of 500 feet (150 metres).[93]

Future procurement

 
The first Australian F-35A takes off from Luke AFB on a test sortie in 2015

This list includes aircraft on order or a requirement which has been identified:

  • Up to 100 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (CTOL variant) with no fewer than 72 aircraft acquired to equip three operational squadrons. The remaining aircraft will be acquired in conjunction with the withdrawal of the F/A-18F Super Hornets after 2020 to ensure no gap in Australia's overall air combat capability occurs. On 25 November 2009, Australia committed to placing a first order for 14 aircraft at a cost of A$3.2 billion with deliveries to begin in 2014.[94][95] In May 2012, the decision to purchase 12 F-35s from the initial 14 order was deferred until 2014 as part of wider ADF procurement deferments to balance the Federal Government budget.[96] On 23 April 2014, Australia confirmed the purchase of 58 F-35A Lightning II fighters in addition to the 14 already ordered. Up to a further 28 aircraft may be acquired.[97][98] The first two Australian F-35A Lightning II fighters were rolled out in July 2014, and began flying training flights with the USAF 61st Fighter Squadron in December 2014.[99][100]
  • A further seven Boeing P-8A Poseidons to be purchased and brought into service by the late 2020s, bringing the total number of aircraft to fifteen, was announced in the 2016 Defence White Paper.[101]
  • Six MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to expand the surveillance of Australia's maritime approaches, with the possibility of purchasing a seventh air frame.[102] The drones will cost approximately A$6.9 billion over their entire life-time, with the fleet expected to be in service by late 2025.[103] They will be based at RAAF Base Edinburgh however will regularly conduct missions from RAAF Base Tindal.[104]
  • A possible further two KC-30As to support the incoming P-8A fleet, which would bring the total number of aircraft to nine, was announced in the 2016 Defence White Paper.[105]
  • In November 2018, Defence Minister Christoper Pyne announced that Australia would purchase between 12 and 16 MQ-9s although the variant of aircraft had not been decided yet.[106] In November 2019, the Australian Government announced the selection of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) MQ-9B Sky Guardian as its preferred version of the Predator B for the RAAF's Project AIR 7003 medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) armed remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) requirement.
  • In May 2020, Boeing Australia unveiled the Loyal Wingman, a joint partnership between the company and the RAAF. The Loyal Wingman is an unmanned aircraft incorporating artificial intelligence; the aircraft is the first of its kind to be produced in Australia and the first aircraft to be designed and manufactured in Australia for over 50 years.
  • A$4–5 billion project to replace the BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter trainer was announced in the 2016 Integrated Investment Program that accompanied the 2016 Defence White Paper. The project has a timeframe of 2022 to 2033.[107]
  • Four MC-55A Peregrine SIGINT and ELINT intelligence gathering aircraft, based on the Gulfstream G550, in a A$2.5 billion procurement.[108][109]
  • In July 2020, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australia would acquire the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) for the F/A-18F Super Hornet.[110] In September 2021, Morrison announced that Australia would acquire the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM-ER) for the F/A-18F Super Hornet and F-35A fighters.[111]
  • A$4.9–7.3 billion project to acquire a Medium Range Ground Based Air Defence capability to defend deployed airfields, command centres and other valuable assets from enemy air attack.[112][113][114] The project has a timeframe of mid to late 2020s.[114] The project had been named Medium Range Air and Missile Defence in the 2016 Integrated Investment Program.[115][116] The project was also renamed and renumbered to AIR6502 Phase 1 from AIR6500 Phase 2 for the 2020 Force Structure Plan.[116]

See also

Lists

Memorials and museums

References

Citations

  1. ^ "Air Force 2021 centenary". RAAF. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Defence Annual Reports". Department of Defence (Australia). Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act – Section 68: Command of naval and military forces". Austlii. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Vision". Royal Australian Air Force. 3 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Defence Act (1903) – SECT 9 Command of Defence Force and arms of Defence Force". Australasian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  6. ^ . Royal Australian Air Force. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  7. ^ "Current aircraft". Royal Australian Navy. from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
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Bibliography

  • Armstrong, John. "History of the RAAF: 20 Years of Warfighting 1939–1959, Part 2". Air Power International. Strike Publications. 4 (6): 42–48. ISSN 1326-1533.
  • Barnes, Norman (2000). The RAAF and the Flying Squadrons. St Leonards, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-130-2.
  • Beaumont, Joan (2001). Australian Defence: Sources and Statistics. The Australian Centenary History of Defence. Vol. VI. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-554118-9.
  • Coulthard-Clark, Chris (1995). The RAAF in Vietnam. Australian Air Involvement in the Vietnam War 1962–1975. The Official History of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948–1975. Vol. Four. Sydney: Allen and Unwin in association with the Australian War Memorial. ISBN 1-86373-305-1.
  • Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin; Bou, Jean (2008). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History (2nd ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-551784-2.
  • Eather, Steve (1995). Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force. Weston Creek, Australian Capital Territory: Aerospace Publications. ISBN 1-875671-15-3.
  • Eather, Steve (1996). Odd Jobs: RAAF Operations in Japan, the Berlin Airlift, Korea, Malaya and Malta, 1946–1960. RAAF Williams, Victoria: RAAF Museum. ISBN 0-642-23482-5.
  • Grant, James Ritchie. "Anti-Clockwise: Australia the Wrong Way". Air Enthusiast, No. 82, July–August 1999, pp. 60–63. ISSN 0143-5450
  • Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "Annals of the Gauntlet". Air Enthusiast Quarterly, No. 2, n.d., pp. 163–176. ISSN 0143-5450
  • Grey, Jeffrey (1999). A Military History of Australia (2nd ed.). Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-64483-6.
  • Grey, Jeffrey (2008). A Military History of Australia (3rd ed.). Port Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-69791-0.
  • Millar, Thomas Bruce (1969). Australia's Defence (2nd ed.). Carlton: Melbourne University Press. OCLC 614049220.
  • McLaughlin, Andrew (June 2010). "Dingo Airlines". Australian Aviation. No. 272. pp. 40–43. ISSN 0813-0876.
  • Moclair, Tony; McLaughlin, Andrew (2014). Hornet Country. Fyshwick, ACT: Phantom Media. ISBN 9780992343200.
  • Pittaway, Nigel (March 2010). "ADF pilot training under contract". Defence Today. Amberley: Strike Publications. 8 (2): 20–21. ISSN 1447-0446.
  • Sandler, Stanley (2001). World War II in the Pacific: An Encyclopedia. Military History of the United States Series. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780815318835.
  • Spencer, Alex M (2020). British Imperial Air Power: The Royal Air Forces and the Defense of Australia and New Zealand Between the World Wars. Indiana: Purdue University Press. ISBN 978-1-55753-940-3.
  • Stephens, Alan (2006) [2001]. The Royal Australian Air Force: A History. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-555541-4.
  • Taylor, Michael John Haddrick; Taylor, John William Ransom (1978). Encyclopedia of Aircraft. New York: Putnam. ISBN 0399122176.

Further reading

  • Ashworth, Norman (1999). How Not To Run An Air Force! The Higher Command of the Royal Australian Air Force During the Second World War. Australia: Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. ISBN 0-642-26550-X.
  • McPhedran, Ian (2011). Air Force: Inside the New era of Australian Air Power. Australia: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7322-9025-2.
  • Royal Australian Air Force (September 2013). The Air Power Manual (6th ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence, Air Power Development Centre. ISBN 978-1-9208-0090-1. reprinted with corrections May 2014

External links

  • Official website  
  • Royal Australian Air Force on Twitter
  • RAAF Air Power Doctrine

royal, australian, force, raaf, redirects, here, british, auxiliary, force, royal, auxiliary, force, other, uses, raaf, disambiguation, raaf, principal, space, force, australia, part, australian, defence, force, along, with, royal, australian, navy, australian. RAAF redirects here For the British auxiliary air force see Royal Auxiliary Air Force For other uses see RAAF disambiguation The Royal Australian Air Force RAAF is the principal air and space force of Australia a part of the Australian Defence Force ADF along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army 4 Constitutionally the Governor General of Australia is the de jure Commander in Chief of the Australian Defence Force The Royal Australian Air Force is commanded by the Chief of Air Force CAF who is subordinate to the Chief of the Defence Force CDF The CAF is also directly responsible to the Minister for Defence with the Department of Defence administering the ADF and the Air Force 5 Royal Australian Air ForceBadge of the Royal Australian Air ForceFounded31 March 1921 101 years ago 1921 03 31 1 Country AustraliaTypeAir forceRoleAerial warfareSize14 313 Active personnel 2 5 499 Reserve personnel 239 AircraftPart ofAustralian Defence ForceHeadquartersRussell Offices CanberraMotto s Latin Per Ardua ad Astra Through Adversity to the Stars MarchRoyal Australian Air Force March Past Eagles of Australia by Squadron Leader Ron MitchellAnniversariesRAAF Anniversary Commemoration 31 MarchEngagementsSecond World War Berlin Airlift Korean War Malayan Emergency Indonesia Malaysia Confrontation Vietnam War East Timor War in Afghanistan Iraq War Military intervention against ISILWebsitewww wbr airforce wbr gov wbr auCommandersCommander in ChiefGovernor General David Hurley as representative of Charles III as King of Australia 3 Chief of the Defence ForceGeneral Angus CampbellChief of the Air ForceAir Marshal Robert ChipmanDeputy Chief of the Air ForceAir Vice Marshal Stephen MeredithAir Commander AustraliaAir Vice Marshal Darren GoldieWarrant Officer of the Air ForceWarrant Officer of the Air Force Ralph CliftonInsigniaLogoRoundelEnsignAircraft flownElectronicwarfareEA 18G Growler E 7A WedgetailFighterF 35A Lightning II F A 18F Super HornetPatrolAP 3C Orion P 8A PoseidonTrainerPC 21 Hawk 127 KA350TransportC 130J Hercules C 17A Globemaster III 737 BBJ Falcon 7X KC 30A MRTT C 27J Spartan Formed in March 1921 as the Australian Air Force through the separation of the Australian Air Corps from the Army in January 1920 which in turn amalgamated the separate aerial services of both the Army and Navy It directly continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps AFC the aviation corps of the Army that fought in the First World War and that was formed on 22 October 1912 6 During its history the Royal Australian Air Force has fought in a number of major wars including the Second World War in Europe and the Pacific participated in the Berlin Airlift Korean War Malayan Emergency Indonesia Malaysia Confrontation Vietnam War and more recently in operations in East Timor the Iraq War and subsequent intervention and the War in Afghanistan It operates the majority of the ADF s fixed wing aircraft although both the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy also operate aircraft in various roles 7 8 The RAAF provides support across a spectrum of operations such as air superiority precision strikes intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance air mobility space surveillance and humanitarian support The RAAF has 259 aircraft of which 110 are combat aircraft Contents 1 History 1 1 Formation 1 2 First World War 1 3 Inter war period 1 4 Second World War 1 4 1 Europe and the Mediterranean 1 4 2 Pacific War 1 5 Cold War 1 5 1 Postwar 1 5 2 South East Asia operations 1 6 Recent history 1990 present 2 Structure 2 1 Headquarters 2 2 Force Element Groups 2 3 Wings and squadrons 2 3 1 Flying squadrons 2 3 2 Non flying squadrons 2 3 3 Wings 3 Personnel 3 1 Strength 3 2 Women 3 3 Ranks 3 3 1 Officer insignia 3 3 2 Other ranks insignia 3 4 Uniforms 4 Aircraft 4 1 Current inventory 4 2 Armament 5 Roundel and badge 6 Music 7 Roulettes 8 Future procurement 9 See also 9 1 Lists 9 2 Memorials and museums 10 References 10 1 Citations 10 2 Bibliography 11 Further reading 12 External linksHistory EditMain article History of the Royal Australian Air Force Formation Edit The RAAF traces its history back to the 1911 Imperial Conference that was held in London where it was decided aviation should be developed within the armed forces of the British Empire Australia implemented this decision the first dominion to do so by approving the establishment of the Australian Aviation Corps This initially consisted of the Central Flying School at Point Cook Victoria opening on 22 October 1912 9 By 1914 the corps was known as the Australian Flying Corps 10 First World War Edit Main article Australian Flying Corps See also Military history of Australia during World War I Soon after the outbreak of war in 1914 the Australian Flying Corps sent aircraft to assist in capturing German colonies in what is now north east New Guinea However these colonies surrendered quickly before the planes were even unpacked The first operational flights did not occur until 27 May 1915 when the Mesopotamian Half Flight was called upon to assist the Indian Army in providing air support during the Mesopotamian Campaign against the Ottoman Empire in what is now Iraq 11 The corps later saw action in Egypt Palestine and on the Western Front throughout the remainder of the First World War By the end of the war four squadrons Nos 1 2 3 and 4 had seen operational service while another four training squadrons Nos 5 6 7 and 8 had also been established A total of 460 officers and 2 234 other ranks served in the AFC whilst another 200 men served as aircrew in the British flying services 12 Casualties included 175 dead 111 wounded 6 gassed and 40 captured 13 Inter war period Edit The Australian Flying Corps remained part of the Australian Army until 1919 when it was disbanded along with the First Australian Imperial Force AIF Although the Central Flying School continued to operate at Point Cook military flying virtually ceased until 1920 when the interim Australian Air Corps AAC with a wing each for the Army and the Navy 14 was formed as a unit of the Army 15 The AAC was succeeded by the Australian Air Force which was formed on 31 March 1921 16 17 18 King George V approved the prefix Royal in May 1921 and became effective on 13 August 1921 19 The RAAF then became the second Royal air arm to be formed in the British Commonwealth following the British Royal Air Force 20 When formed the RAAF had more aircraft than personnel with 21 officers and 128 other ranks and 153 aircraft 18 As British aircraft manufacturers at the time were unable to meet Australian requirements in addition to British production demands the Australian government established the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in 1936 and purchased some American aircraft 21 Second World War Edit See also Military history of Australia during World War II Europe and the Mediterranean Edit In September 1939 the Australian Air Board directly controlled the Air Force via RAAF Station Laverton RAAF Station Richmond RAAF Station Pearce No 1 Flying Training School RAAF at Point Cook RAAF Station Rathmines and five smaller units 22 In 1939 just after the outbreak of the Second World War Australia joined the Empire Air Training Scheme under which flight crews received basic training in Australia before travelling to Canada for advanced training A total of 17 RAAF bomber fighter reconnaissance and other squadrons served initially in Britain and with the Desert Air Force located in North Africa and the Mediterranean Thousands of Australians also served with other Commonwealth air forces in Europe during the Second World War 23 About nine percent of the personnel who served under British RAF commands in Europe and the Mediterranean were RAAF personnel 24 With British manufacturing targeted by the German Luftwaffe in 1941 the Australian government created the Department of Aircraft Production DAP later known as the Government Aircraft Factories to supply Commonwealth air forces 25 and the RAAF was eventually provided with large numbers of locally built versions of British designs such as the DAP Beaufort torpedo bomber Beaufighters and Mosquitos as well as other types such as Wirraways Boomerangs and Mustangs 23 In the European theatre of the war RAAF personnel were especially notable in RAF Bomber Command although they represented just two percent of all Australian enlistments during the war they accounted for almost twenty percent of those killed in action This statistic is further illustrated by the fact that No 460 Squadron RAAF mostly flying Avro Lancasters had an official establishment of about 200 aircrew and yet had 1 018 combat deaths The squadron was therefore effectively wiped out five times over 26 Total RAAF casualties in Europe were 5 488 killed or missing 23 Curtiss Kittyhawk Mk IA of 75 Squadron RAAF which F O Geoff Atherton flew over New Guinea in August 1942 Pacific War Edit The Brewster F2A Buffalo participated in air campaigns over Malayan Singapore and Dutch East Indies The beginning of the Pacific War and the rapid advance of Japanese forces threatened the Australian mainland for the first time in its history The RAAF was quite unprepared for the emergency and initially had negligible forces available for service in the Pacific In 1941 and early 1942 many RAAF airmen including Nos 1 8 21 and 453 Squadrons saw action with the RAF Far East Command in the Malayan Singapore and Dutch East Indies campaigns Equipped with aircraft such as the Brewster Buffalo and Lockheed Hudsons the Australian squadrons suffered heavily against Japanese Zeros 27 During the fighting for Rabaul in early 1942 No 24 Squadron RAAF fought a brief but ultimately futile defence as the Japanese advanced south towards Australia 28 The devastating air raids on Darwin on 19 February 1942 increased concerns about the direct threat facing Australia In response some RAAF squadrons were transferred from the northern hemisphere although a substantial number remained there until the end of the war Shortages of fighter and ground attack planes led to the acquisition of US built Curtiss P 40 Kittyhawks and the rapid design and manufacture of the first Australian fighter the CAC Boomerang RAAF Kittyhawks came to play a crucial role in the New Guinea and Solomon Islands campaigns especially in operations like the Battle of Milne Bay As a response to a possible Japanese chemical warfare threat the RAAF imported hundreds of thousands of chemical weapons into Australia 29 In the Battle of the Bismarck Sea imported Bristol Beaufighters proved to be highly effective ground attack and maritime strike aircraft Beaufighters were later made locally by the DAP from 1944 30 Although it was much bigger than Japanese fighters the Beaufighter had the speed to outrun them 31 The RAAF operated a number of Consolidated PBY Catalina as long range bombers and scouts The RAAF s heavy bomber force was predominantly made up of 287 B 24 Liberators equipping seven squadrons which could bomb Japanese targets as far away as Borneo and the Philippines from airfields in Australia and New Guinea 32 By late 1945 the RAAF had received or ordered about 500 P 51 Mustangs for fighter ground attack purposes The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation initially assembled US made Mustangs but later manufactured most of those used 33 By mid 1945 the RAAF s main operational formation in the Pacific the First Tactical Air Force 1st TAF consisted of over 21 000 personnel while the RAAF as a whole consisted of about 50 squadrons and 6 000 aircraft of which over 3 000 were operational 34 The 1st TAF s final campaigns were fought in support of Australian ground forces in Borneo 35 but had the war continued some of its personnel and equipment would likely have been allocated to the invasion of the Japanese mainland along with some of the RAAF bomber squadrons in Europe which were to be grouped together with British and Canadian squadrons as part of the proposed Tiger Force However the war was brought to a sudden end by the US nuclear attacks on Japan 36 The RAAF s casualties in the Pacific were around 2 000 killed wounded or captured 35 By the time the war ended a total of 216 900 men and women served in the RAAF of whom 10 562 were killed in action a total of 76 squadrons were formed 37 With over 152 000 personnel operating nearly 6 000 aircraft it was the world s fourth largest air force 38 Cold War Edit Postwar Edit Two RAAF Mirage III fighters in 1980 During the Berlin Airlift in 1948 49 the RAAF Squadron Berlin Air Lift aided the international effort to fly in supplies to the stricken city two RAF Avro York aircraft were also crewed by RAAF personnel Although a small part of the operation the RAAF contribution was significant flying 2 062 sorties and carrying 7 030 tons of freight and 6 964 passengers 39 In the Korean War from 1950 to 1953 North American Mustangs from No 77 Squadron RAAF stationed in Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force were among the first United Nations aircraft to be deployed in ground support combat air patrol and escort missions When the UN planes were confronted by North Korean Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 15 jet fighters 77 Sqn acquired Gloster Meteors however the MiGs remained superior and the Meteors were relegated to ground support missions as the North Koreans gained experience The air force also operated transport aircraft during the conflict No 77 Squadron flew 18 872 sorties claiming the destruction of 3 700 buildings 1 408 vehicles 16 bridges 98 railway carriages and an unknown number of enemy personnel Three MiG 15s were confirmed destroyed and two others probably destroyed RAAF casualties included 41 killed and seven captured 66 aircraft 22 Mustangs and 44 Meteors were lost 40 In July 1952 No 78 Wing RAAF was deployed to Malta in the Mediterranean where it formed part of a British force which sought to counter the Soviet Union s influence in the Middle East as part of Australia s Cold War commitments Consisting of No 75 and 76 Squadrons equipped with de Havilland Vampire jet fighters the wing provided an air garrison for the island for the next two and half years returning to Australia in late 1954 41 In 1953 a Royal Air Force officer Air Marshal Sir Donald Hardman was brought out to Australia to become Chief of the Air Staff 42 He reorganised the RAAF into three commands Home Command Maintenance Command and Training Command Five years later Home Command was renamed Operational Command and Training Command and Maintenance Command were amalgamated to form Support Command 43 South East Asia operations Edit An RAAF F A 18 with a USAF KC 135 two F 15Es an F 117 two F 16s and a RAF Tornado over Iraq In the Malayan Emergency from 1950 to 1960 six Avro Lincolns from No 1 Squadron RAAF and a flight of Douglas Dakotas from No 38 Squadron RAAF took part in operations against the communist guerrillas labelled as Communist Terrorists by the British authorities as part of the RAF Far East Air Force The Dakotas were used on cargo runs in troop movement and in paratroop and leaflet drops within Malaya The Lincolns operating from bases in Singapore and from Kuala Lumpur formed the backbone of the air war against the CTs conducting bombing missions against their jungle bases Although results were often difficult to assess they allowed the government to harass CT forces attack their base camps when identified and keep them on the move Later in 1958 Canberra bombers from No 2 Squadron RAAF were deployed to Malaya and took part in bombing missions against the CTs 44 During the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1972 the RAAF contributed Caribou STOL transport aircraft as part of the RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam later redesignated No 35 Squadron RAAF UH 1 Iroquois helicopters from No 9 Squadron RAAF and English Electric Canberra bombers from No 2 Squadron RAAF The Canberras flew 11 963 bombing sorties and two aircraft were lost One went missing during a bombing raid The wreckage of the aircraft was recovered in April 2009 and the remains of the crew were found in late July 2009 The other was shot down by a surface to air missile although both crew were rescued They dropped 76 389 bombs and were credited with 786 enemy personnel confirmed killed and a further 3 390 estimated killed 8 637 structures 15 568 bunkers 1 267 sampans and 74 bridges destroyed 45 RAAF transport aircraft also supported anti communist ground forces The UH 1 helicopters were used in many roles including medical evacuation and close air support RAAF casualties in Vietnam included six killed in action eight non battle fatalities 30 wounded in action and 30 injured 46 A small number of RAAF pilots also served in United States Air Force units flying F 4 Phantom fighter bombers or serving as forward air controllers 47 In September 1975 a group of 44 civilians including armed supporters of the Timorese Democratic Union UDT commandeered an RAAF Caribou A4 140 on the ground at Baucau Airport in the then Portuguese Timor which was in the middle of a civil war The Caribou had landed at Baucau on a humanitarian mission for the International Committee of the Red Cross The civilians demanded that the RAAF crew members fly them to Darwin Airport also RAAF Base Darwin in Australia which they did After the Caribou arrived there the Australian government detained the civilians for a short period and then granted refugee visas to all of them The Guardian later described A4 140 as the only RAAF plane ever hijacked and the incident as one of the more remarkable stories in Australia s military and immigration history 48 Recent history 1990 present Edit A Royal Australian Air Force F A 18F Super Hornet at the 2013 Avalon Airshow Military airlifts were conducted for a number of purposes in subsequent decades such as the peacekeeping operations in East Timor from 1999 Australia s combat aircraft were not used again in combat until the Iraq War in 2003 when 14 F A 18s from No 75 Squadron RAAF operated in the escort and ground attack roles flying a total of 350 sorties and dropping 122 laser guided bombs 49 A detachment of AP 3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft were deployed in the Middle East between 2003 and 2012 These aircraft conducted maritime surveillance patrols over the Persian Gulf and North Arabian Sea in support of Coalition warships and boarding parties as well as conducting extensive overland flights of Iraq and Afghanistan on intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance missions and supporting counter piracy operations in Somalia 50 From 2007 to 2009 a detachment of No 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit RAAF was on active service at Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan 51 Approximately 75 personnel deployed with the AN TPS 77 radar assigned the responsibility to co ordinate coalition air operations 52 A detachment of IAI Heron unmanned aerial vehicles has been deployed in Afghanistan since January 2010 53 In late September 2014 an Air Task Group consisting of up to eight F A 18F Super Hornets a KC 30A Multi Role Tanker Transport an E 7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning amp Control aircraft and 400 personnel was deployed to Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates as part of the coalition to combat Islamic State forces in Iraq 54 Operations began on 1 October 55 A number of C 17 and C 130J Super Hercules transport aircraft based in the Middle East have also been used to conduct airdrops of humanitarian aid and to airlift arms and munitions since August 56 57 58 59 In June 2017 two RAAF AP 3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft were deployed to the southern Philippines in response to the Marawi crisis 60 61 62 In 2021 the Royal Australian Air Force commemorated its 100th anniversary 63 Later that year on 29 November the Hornet was officially retired from RAAF service with a ceremony to mark the occasion taking place that day at RAAF Base Williamtown 64 In January 2022 two RAAF P 8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and one C 130J Hercules departed RAAF Amberley and Richmond to conduct aerial reconnaissance of Tonga in the wake of the 2022 Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha apai eruption and tsunami According to Australian Defence News the flights were to help determine the extent of the damage to Tongan infrastructure and inform future disaster support requests 65 66 Structure EditMain article Structure of the RAAF Headquarters Edit Air Force Headquarters RAAF Air Force Executive RAAF Air Command Air Force Combat Forces Defence Space Command tri service integrated headquarters for space operationsForce Element Groups Edit Air Combat Group air combat capability Air Mobility Group air lift and aerial refuelling capability Air Warfare Centre information warfare intelligence and capability development Combat Support Group combat support and air base operations capability Surveillance and Response Group surveillance and reconnaissance capability Air Force Training Group air force training capability and developmentWings and squadrons Edit Flying squadrons Edit List of flying squadronsNo 1 Squadron Boeing F A 18F Super Hornet Multi Role Fighter No 2 Squadron Boeing E 7A Wedgetail AEW amp C No 3 Squadron Lockheed Martin F 35A Lightning Multi Role Fighter No 4 Squadron Pilatus PC 21 JTAC Training No 6 Squadron Boeing E A 18G Growler Electronic Warfare No 10 Squadron Lockheed AP 3C Orion Maritime Patrol No 11 Squadron Boeing P 8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol No 32 Squadron Beechcraft King Air 350 School of Air Warfare Support No 33 Squadron Airbus KC 30A MRTT Air Refuelling Transport No 34 Squadron Boeing 737 BBJ Dassault Falcon 7X VIP Transport No 35 Squadron Alenia C 27J Spartan Transport No 36 Squadron Boeing C 17A Globemaster III Transport No 37 Squadron Lockheed C 130J 30 Super Hercules Transport No 75 Squadron Lockheed Martin F 35A Lightning Multi Role Fighter No 76 Squadron BAE Systems Hawk 127 Lead in Fighter Training ADF Support No 77 Squadron Lockheed Martin F 35A Lightning Multi Role Fighter No 79 Squadron BAE Systems Hawk 127 Hawk Conversion ADF Support No 100 Squadron Heritage aircraftNo 292 Squadron Lockheed AP 3C Orion AP 3C Conversion CFS Pacific Aerospace CT4B Pilatus PC 21 Flying Instructor Training ADFBFTS Pacific Aerospace CT4B Basic Tri Service Flying Training No 2 FTS Pilatus PC 21 Advanced RAAF and RAN Flying Training No 2 OCU Lockheed Martin F 35A Lightning Multi Role Fighter ARDU Various Aircraft Types Flight Testing Non flying squadrons Edit List of non flying squadronsNo 1 SECFOR SQN Airbase Force ProtectionNo 1 EHS Health OperationsNo 1 CCS Combat CommunicationsNo 1 RSU Wide Area SurveillanceNo 1 RTU Airman Ab Initio TrainingNo 2 SECFOR SQN Airbase Force ProtectionNo 2 EHS Health OperationsNo 3 EHS Health OperationsNo 3 CRU Surveillance and Air Battle ManagementNo 3 SECFOR SQN Airbase Force ProtectionNo 4 EHS Health OperationsNo 13 Squadron RAAF Darwin Airbase OperationsNo 17 Squadron RAAF Tindal Airbase OperationsNo 19 Squadron RMAF Butterworth Airbase OperationsNo 20 Squadron RAAF Woomera Airbase OperationsNo 21 Squadron RAAF Williams Airbase OperationsNo 22 Squadron RAAF Richmond Airbase OperationsNo 23 Squadron RAAF Amberley Airbase OperationsNo 24 Squadron RAAF Edinburgh Airbase OperationsNo 25 Squadron RAAF Pearce Airbase OperationsNo 26 Squadron RAAF Williamtown Airbase OperationsNo 27 Squadron RAAF Townsville Airbase OperationsNo 28 Squadron Administrative Support OperationsNo 29 Squadron Administrative Support OperationsNo 30 Squadron RAAF East Sale Airbase OperationsNo 31 Squadron RAAF Wagga Airbase OperationsNo 65 Squadron Airfield Engineering and Explosive Ordnance Disposal EOD No 87 Squadron Intelligence OperationsNo 114 MCRU Deployable Surveillance Air Battle Management and Air Traffic ControlNo 278 Squadron Operational TrainingNo 381 SQN Contingency Response SquadronNo 382 SQN Contingency Response SquadronNo 452 Squadron Air Traffic ControlNo 453 Squadron Air Traffic ControlNo 460 Squadron Intelligence OperationsNo 462 Squadron Information Warfare OperationsASCENG SQN Aircraft Stores Compatibility Engineering DevelopmentAMTDU Air Movements Training and DevelopmentASES Aircraft Systems Engineering DevelopmentCSTS Combat Survival TrainingRAAF AIS Aeronautical InformationRAAF BAND RAAF Ceremonial BandDEOTS Explosive Ordnance TrainingAVMED Aviation Medicine Research and DevelopmentJEWOSU Electronic Warfare Operations and DevelopmentOTS Officer Ab Initio TrainingRAAF Museum Royal Australian Air Force MuseumRAAF SFS Security and Fire TrainingSAW Air Combat Officer and Observer TrainingRAAFSALT Administrative and Logistics TrainingRAAFSATC Air Traffic Control TrainingRAAFSPS Officer and Airman Post Graduate Professional TrainingRAAFSTT Air Technical TrainingSACTU Air Defence TrainingWoomera Test Facility Augmented Testing RangeWings Edit List of current wingsNo 41 Wing Surveillance amp Air Battle Management No 42 Wing AEW amp C No 44 Wing ATC No 78 Wing Lead in Fighter Training No 81 Wing Multi Role Fighter No 82 Wing Multi Role Fighter No 84 Wing Airlift amp VIP transport No 86 Wing Airlift amp AAR No 92 Wing Maritime Patrol No 95 Wing Expeditionary Combat Support No 96 Wing Fixed Base Combat Support Air Mobility Control Centre central combat airlift tasking control centreAirA Air Academy Aviation Training Pilots Air Traffic Control etc GA Ground Academy Ab initio ground technical and non technical training career development promotion and leadership trainingDTWG Aerospace Systems DevelopmentCSCC Combat Support CoordinationHSW Health OperationsIWD Information Warfare and IntelligencePersonnel EditStrength Edit As of June 2018 the RAAF had 14 313 permanent full time personnel and 5 499 part time active reserve personnel 67 Women Edit The first women to become RAAF pilots in 1988 The RAAF established the Women s Auxiliary Australian Air Force WAAAF in March 1941 which then became the Women s Royal Australian Air Force WRAAF in 1951 68 The service merged with the RAAF in 1977 however all women in the Australian military were barred from combat related roles until 1990 Women have been eligible for flying roles in the RAAF since 1987 with the RAAF s first women pilots awarded their wings in 1988 69 In 2016 the remaining restrictions on women in frontline combat roles were removed and the first two female RAAF fast jet fighter pilots graduated in December 2017 Air Force has implemented several programs to assist women who choose a pilot career Entry to the Graduate Pilot Scheme is open to women who are currently undertaking a Bachelor of Aviation BAv Once qualified women pilots are able to access the Flying Females Mentoring Network Men and women are required to undergo the same basic fitness tests to become a pilot however the standards are lower for females For some roles the requirement cannot be adjusted for safety reasons 70 71 Ranks Edit Main article Ranks of the Royal Australian Air Force The rank structure of the nascent RAAF was established to ensure that the service remained separate from the Army and Navy 72 The service s predecessors the AFC and the AAC had used the Army s rank structure In November 1920 it was decided by the Air Board that the RAAF would adopt the structure adopted by the RAF the previous year 14 As a result the RAAF s rank structure came to be Aircraftman Leading Aircraftman Corporal Sergeant Flight Sergeant Warrant Officer Officer Cadet Pilot Officer Flying Officer Flight Lieutenant Squadron Leader Wing Commander Group Captain Air Commodore Air Vice Marshal Air Marshal Air Chief Marshal Marshal of the RAAF 73 Officer insignia Edit Rank Grouping General Flag Officers Field Senior Officers Junior Officers Officer CadetNATO Code OF 10 OF 9 OF 8 OF 7 OF 6 OF 5 OF 4 OF 3 OF 2 OF 1 OF D Australia Officer rank insignia Rank Title Marshal of the RAAF Air Chief Marshal Air Marshal Air Vice Marshal Air Commodore Group Captain Wing Commander Squadron Leader Flight Lieutenant Flying Officer Pilot Officer Officer CadetAbbreviation MRAAF ACM AIRMSHL AVM AIRCDRE GPCAPT WGCDR SQNLDR FLTLT FLGOFF PLTOFF OFFCDTOther ranks insignia Edit Rank Group Non commissioned officer Other ranksNATO Code OR 9 OR 8 OR 7 OR 6 OR 5 OR 4 OR 3 OR 2 OR 1 Australia Other Ranks Insignia No insigniaRank Title Warrant Officer of the Air Force Warrant Officer Flight Sergeant Sergeant Corporal Leading Aircraftman Aircraftman RecruitAbbreviation WOFF AF WOFF FSGT SGT CPL LAC W AC W ACR ACWRUniforms Edit In 1922 the colour of the RAAF winter uniform was determined by Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams on a visit to the Geelong Wool Mill He asked for one dye dip fewer than the RAN blue three indigo dips rather than four There was a change to a lighter blue when an all seasons uniform was introduced in the 1970s The original colour and style were re adopted around 2005 74 75 Slip on rank epaulettes known as Soft Rank Insignia SRI displaying the word AUSTRALIA are worn on the shoulders of the service dress uniform 73 When not in the service dress or ceremonial uniform RAAF personnel wear the General Purpose Uniform GPU as a working dress which is a blue version of the Australian Multicam Pattern 76 Aircraft EditSee also List of current Royal Australian Air Force aircraft Current inventory Edit An F 35 taking off during the Australian International Airshow A C 17A Globemaster III A BAe Hawk on approach Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service NotesCombat AircraftF A 18F Super Hornet United States multirole F A 18F 24 77 F 35A Lightning II United States multirole F 35A 59 78 13 on orderAWACSE 7A Wedgetail United States AEW amp C E 7A 6 77 Electronic WarfareEA 18G Growler United States radar jamming SEAD 11 1 on order 77 MC 55A Peregrine United States SIGINT ELINT MC 55A 4 on order 79 77 Maritime PatrolAP 3C Orion United States ASW maritime patrol AP 3C 2 77 P 8A Poseidon United States ASW maritime patrol P 8A 12 2 on order 77 TankerKC 30 Multi Role Tanker Transport Spain aerial refuelling transport KC 30A 7 77 TransportC 17A Globemaster III United States strategic airlifter C 17A 8 77 C 27J Spartan Italy utility transport 10 77 C 130J Super Hercules United States tactical airlifter C 130J 30 12 77 Beechcraft Super King Air United States utility transport 350 8 77 3 used for ISTAR mission 80 Boeing 737 United States VIP transport 2 81 Dassault Falcon 7X France VIP transport 3 82 Trainer AircraftBAE Hawk United Kingdom primary trainer Hawk 127 33 77 Beechcraft Super King Air United States multi engine trainer 350 4 77 Pilatus PC 21 Switzerland trainer 49 77 UAVMQ 4 Triton United States HALE maritime ISR MQ 4C 1 6 on order 83 MQ 28 Ghost Bat Australia AI UCAV 6 on order 84 Armament Edit Paveway II laser guided bomb AIM 9L Sidewinder Name Origin Type NotesAir to air missileASRAAM United Kingdom IR guided missile 200 units 85 AIM 120 AMRAAM United States beyond visual range missile 360 units 85 AIM 9 Sidewinder United States IR guided missile 1297 units of which 47 are AIM 9X 85 Air to surface missileAGM 88 HARM United States anti radiation missileAGM 154 United States joint standoff weapon 50 units 85 AGM 158 United States 260 units 85 Will be integrated onboard F A 18F 86 General purpose bombJDAM United States precision guided munition 100 units 85 GBU 15 United States precision guided munition 100 units 85 GBU 10 Paveway II United States laser guided bomb 100 units 85 Anti ship missileAGM 158C LRASM United States Stealthy long range anti ship missile Naval Strike Missile Norway Mark 54 torpedo United States anti sub weapon 250 85 AGM 84 Harpoon United States 305 85 Roundel and badge EditOriginally the air force used the red white and blue roundel of the RAF However during the Second World War the inner red circle which was visually similar to the Japanese hinomaru was removed after a No 11 Squadron Catalina was mistaken for a Japanese aircraft and attacked by a Grumman Wildcat of VMF 212 of the United States Marine Corps on 27 June 1942 87 88 After the war a range of options for the RAAF roundel was proposed including the Southern Cross a boomerang a sprig of wattle and a red kangaroo On 2 July 1956 the current version of the roundel was formally adopted This consists of a white inner circle with a red kangaroo surrounded by a royal blue circle The kangaroo faces left except when used on aircraft or vehicles when the kangaroo should always face forward 87 Low visibility versions of the roundel exist with the white omitted and the red and blue replaced with light or dark grey 89 The RAAF badge was accepted by the Chester Herald in 1939 The badge is composed of the St Edward s Crown mounted on a circle featuring the words Royal Australian Air Force beneath which scroll work displays the Latin motto Per Ardua Ad Astra which it shares with the Royal Air Force Surmounting the badge is a wedge tailed eagle Per Ardua Ad Astra is attributed with the meaning Through Adversity to the Stars and is from Sir Henry Rider Haggard s novel The People of the Mist 90 Music EditThe Eagles of Australia is the official march of the RAAF and is played as a quick march when the RAAF bands perform public duties in the capital Composed by the RAAF s Director of Music Squadron Leader Ron Mitchell who was also director of the Air Force Band it was officially adopted as the RAAF s new march music on 23 March 1983 replacing the Royal Air Force March Past which had long been the RAAF s march as well as the marchpast of other Commonwealth air forces Subsequently journalist Frank Cranston wrote lyrics to the march and a musical score was produced by September of the following year 91 Roulettes EditMain article RAAF Roulettes The Roulettes are the RAAF s formation aerobatic display team They perform around Australia and South east Asia and are part of the RAAF Central Flying School CFS at RAAF Base East Sale Victoria 92 The Roulettes use the Pilatus PC 21 and formations for shows are done in a group of six aircraft The pilots learn many formations including loops rolls corkscrews and ripple roles Most of the performances are done at the low altitude of 500 feet 150 metres 93 Future procurement Edit The first Australian F 35A takes off from Luke AFB on a test sortie in 2015 This list includes aircraft on order or a requirement which has been identified Up to 100 Lockheed Martin F 35A Lightning II CTOL variant with no fewer than 72 aircraft acquired to equip three operational squadrons The remaining aircraft will be acquired in conjunction with the withdrawal of the F A 18F Super Hornets after 2020 to ensure no gap in Australia s overall air combat capability occurs On 25 November 2009 Australia committed to placing a first order for 14 aircraft at a cost of A 3 2 billion with deliveries to begin in 2014 94 95 In May 2012 the decision to purchase 12 F 35s from the initial 14 order was deferred until 2014 as part of wider ADF procurement deferments to balance the Federal Government budget 96 On 23 April 2014 Australia confirmed the purchase of 58 F 35A Lightning II fighters in addition to the 14 already ordered Up to a further 28 aircraft may be acquired 97 98 The first two Australian F 35A Lightning II fighters were rolled out in July 2014 and began flying training flights with the USAF 61st Fighter Squadron in December 2014 99 100 A further seven Boeing P 8A Poseidons to be purchased and brought into service by the late 2020s bringing the total number of aircraft to fifteen was announced in the 2016 Defence White Paper 101 Six MQ 4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs to expand the surveillance of Australia s maritime approaches with the possibility of purchasing a seventh air frame 102 The drones will cost approximately A 6 9 billion over their entire life time with the fleet expected to be in service by late 2025 103 They will be based at RAAF Base Edinburgh however will regularly conduct missions from RAAF Base Tindal 104 A possible further two KC 30As to support the incoming P 8A fleet which would bring the total number of aircraft to nine was announced in the 2016 Defence White Paper 105 In November 2018 Defence Minister Christoper Pyne announced that Australia would purchase between 12 and 16 MQ 9s although the variant of aircraft had not been decided yet 106 In November 2019 the Australian Government announced the selection of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems GA ASI MQ 9B Sky Guardian as its preferred version of the Predator B for the RAAF s Project AIR 7003 medium altitude long endurance MALE armed remotely piloted aircraft system RPAS requirement In May 2020 Boeing Australia unveiled the Loyal Wingman a joint partnership between the company and the RAAF The Loyal Wingman is an unmanned aircraft incorporating artificial intelligence the aircraft is the first of its kind to be produced in Australia and the first aircraft to be designed and manufactured in Australia for over 50 years A 4 5 billion project to replace the BAE Hawk 127 lead in fighter trainer was announced in the 2016 Integrated Investment Program that accompanied the 2016 Defence White Paper The project has a timeframe of 2022 to 2033 107 Four MC 55A Peregrine SIGINT and ELINT intelligence gathering aircraft based on the Gulfstream G550 in a A 2 5 billion procurement 108 109 In July 2020 Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australia would acquire the AGM 158C Long Range Anti Ship Missile LRASM for the F A 18F Super Hornet 110 In September 2021 Morrison announced that Australia would acquire the AGM 158B Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile JASSM ER for the F A 18F Super Hornet and F 35A fighters 111 A 4 9 7 3 billion project to acquire a Medium Range Ground Based Air Defence capability to defend deployed airfields command centres and other valuable assets from enemy air attack 112 113 114 The project has a timeframe of mid to late 2020s 114 The project had been named Medium Range Air and Missile Defence in the 2016 Integrated Investment Program 115 116 The project was also renamed and renumbered to AIR6502 Phase 1 from AIR6500 Phase 2 for the 2020 Force Structure Plan 116 See also Edit Military of Australia portal Royal Australian Air Force portal Aviation portalAirfield Defence Guards Australian Air Force Cadets Australian Air Traffic Control Australian Defence Force ranks and insignia Royal Australian Air Force Maritime Section Royal Australian Air Force VIP aircraftLists Edit List of air forces List of current Royal Australian Air Force aircraft List of aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force List of Royal Australian Air Force aircraft squadrons List of Royal Australian Air Force independent aircraft flights List of Royal Australian Air Force installations List of ships of the Royal Australian Air ForceMemorials and museums Edit List of Australian military memorials Royal Australian Air Force Memorial Brisbane Royal Australian Air Force Memorial CanberraReferences EditCitations Edit Air Force 2021 centenary RAAF Retrieved 28 March 2021 Defence 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1983 New marchpast music adopted On this day the RAAF officially adopted new march music specially composed by the Director of Music Air Force Squadron Leader Ron Mitchell to replace the RAF march formerly used Facebook Retrieved 12 June 2022 Air Force Roulettes Royal Australian Air Force Archived from the original on 8 October 2014 Retrieved 7 October 2014 Roulettes Aerobatic Teams net Archived from the original on 11 October 2014 Retrieved 7 October 2014 Walters Patrick Kevin Rudd signs off on purchase of 14 F 35 joint strike fighters The Australian 25 November 2009 Retrieved 16 December 2009 More Defence news 23 November 2009 29 November 2009 Australian Defence Force Media 27 November 2009 Archived from the original on 11 November 2012 Retrieved 23 November 2012 Nicholson Brendan 4 May 2012 4bn stripped from Defence The Australian Archived from the original on 8 May 2012 Retrieved 8 May 2012 The opposition ridiculed Julia Gillard s move to find savings through deferrals of spending including a two year postponement of the purchase of new Joint Strike Fighters as a fresh attempt to cook the books and a death gurgle from a dying government that was feigning economic responsibility while retaining an addiction to spending The Prime Minister and Defence Minister Stephen Smith confirmed they would delay the purchase of 12 multi role Joint Strike Fighters for the RAAF by two years which would save 1 6bn in the short term McLaughlin Andrew 22 April 2014 Australia to confirm 58 aircraft F 35 order flightglobal com Reed Business Information Archived from the original on 24 April 2014 Retrieved 23 April 2014 Waldron Greg 23 April 2014 Australia confirms A 12 4bn F 35 order flightglobal com Reed Business Information Archived from the original on 24 April 2014 Retrieved 23 April 2014 Australia s new F 35 Lightning fighter jet rolls out to rock music The Australian 25 July 2014 Retrieved 20 December 2014 Cenciotti David 19 December 2014 First Australian F 35 has arrived for training at Luke Air Force Base The Aviationist Archived from the original on 20 December 2014 Retrieved 20 December 2014 Department of Defence 2016 2016 Defence White Paper PDF Canberra Commonwealth of Australia p 94 ISBN 9780994168054 Retrieved 14 October 2021 Tarabay Jamie 26 June 2018 Australia invests in unmanned spy drones to fly over South China Sea CNN Retrieved 26 June 2018 Yaxley Louise 26 June 2018 New Air Force spy drones to monitor South China Sea fleet of six planes to cost 7 billion ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 27 June 2018 Retrieved 26 June 2018 Remotely Piloted Unmanned Aircraft Systems MQ 4C Triton Department of Defence Australia August 2017 Archived from the original on 29 June 2018 Retrieved 29 June 2018 Defence White Paper 2016 pp 95 96 Pittaway Nigel 16 November 2018 Australia makes its pick for drone fleet Defense News Retrieved 11 February 2019 Department of Defence 2016 2016 Integrated Investment Program PDF Canberra Commonwealth of Australia pp 39 45 61 ISBN 9780994168061 Retrieved 14 October 2021 RAAF gets four new EW aircraft Australian Defence Magazine www australiandefence com au Retrieved 18 March 2019 Allison George 21 March 2019 Australia to purchase MC 55A Peregrine electronic warfare aircraft UK Defence Journal Retrieved 21 March 2019 Prime Minister Scott Morrison Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds 1 July 2020 Long Range Strike Capabilities to Maintain Regional Security Prime Minister of Australia Press release Retrieved 2 October 2021 Prime Minister Minister for Defence Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Women 16 September 2021 Australia to pursue Nuclear powered Submarines through new Trilateral Enhanced Security Partnership Prime Minister of Australia Press release Archived from the original on 27 September 2021 Retrieved 25 September 2021 Medium Range Ground Based Air Defence Department of Defence December 2020 Retrieved 14 October 2021 Department of Defence 2020 2020 Force Structure Plan PDF Commonwealth of Australia p 57 ISBN 9780994168061 Retrieved 14 October 2021 a b Defence White Paper 2016 pp 96 Integrated Investment Program 2016 pp 93 100 101 a b Department of Defence 11 December 2020 2020 2021 Budget estimates 26 October 2020 Question 171 Plans for Medium Range Ground Based Air Defence Senator Kimberley Kitching Senate Standing Committee Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Retrieved 14 October 2021 Bibliography Edit Armstrong John History of the RAAF 20 Years of Warfighting 1939 1959 Part 2 Air Power International Strike Publications 4 6 42 48 ISSN 1326 1533 Barnes Norman 2000 The RAAF and the Flying Squadrons St Leonards New South Wales Allen amp Unwin ISBN 1 86508 130 2 Beaumont Joan 2001 Australian Defence Sources and Statistics The Australian Centenary History of Defence Vol VI Melbourne Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 554118 9 Coulthard Clark Chris 1995 The RAAF in Vietnam Australian Air Involvement in the Vietnam War 1962 1975 The Official History of Australia s Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948 1975 Vol Four Sydney Allen and Unwin in association with the Australian War Memorial ISBN 1 86373 305 1 Dennis Peter Grey Jeffrey Morris Ewan Prior Robin Bou Jean 2008 The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History 2nd ed Melbourne Victoria Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 551784 2 Eather Steve 1995 Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force Weston Creek Australian Capital Territory Aerospace Publications ISBN 1 875671 15 3 Eather Steve 1996 Odd Jobs RAAF Operations in Japan the Berlin Airlift Korea Malaya and Malta 1946 1960 RAAF Williams Victoria RAAF Museum ISBN 0 642 23482 5 Grant James Ritchie Anti Clockwise Australia the Wrong Way Air Enthusiast No 82 July August 1999 pp 60 63 ISSN 0143 5450 Green William and Gordon Swanborough Annals of the Gauntlet Air Enthusiast Quarterly No 2 n d pp 163 176 ISSN 0143 5450 Grey Jeffrey 1999 A Military History of Australia 2nd ed Port Melbourne Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 64483 6 Grey Jeffrey 2008 A Military History of Australia 3rd ed Port Melbourne Victoria Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 69791 0 Millar Thomas Bruce 1969 Australia s Defence 2nd ed Carlton Melbourne University Press OCLC 614049220 McLaughlin Andrew June 2010 Dingo Airlines Australian Aviation No 272 pp 40 43 ISSN 0813 0876 Moclair Tony McLaughlin Andrew 2014 Hornet Country Fyshwick ACT Phantom Media ISBN 9780992343200 Pittaway Nigel March 2010 ADF pilot training under contract Defence Today Amberley Strike Publications 8 2 20 21 ISSN 1447 0446 Sandler Stanley 2001 World War II in the Pacific An Encyclopedia Military History of the United States Series Taylor amp Francis ISBN 9780815318835 Spencer Alex M 2020 British Imperial Air Power The Royal Air Forces and the Defense of Australia and New Zealand Between the World Wars Indiana Purdue University Press ISBN 978 1 55753 940 3 Stephens Alan 2006 2001 The Royal Australian Air Force A History London Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 555541 4 Taylor Michael John Haddrick Taylor John William Ransom 1978 Encyclopedia of Aircraft New York Putnam ISBN 0399122176 Further reading EditAshworth Norman 1999 How Not To Run An Air Force The Higher Command of the Royal Australian Air Force During the Second World War Australia Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre ISBN 0 642 26550 X McPhedran Ian 2011 Air Force Inside the New era of Australian Air Power Australia Harper Collins Publishers ISBN 978 0 7322 9025 2 Royal Australian Air Force September 2013 The Air Power Manual 6th ed Canberra Department of Defence Air Power Development Centre ISBN 978 1 9208 0090 1 reprinted with corrections May 2014External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Australian Air Force Official website Royal Australian Air Force on Twitter RAAF Air Power Doctrine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Royal Australian Air Force amp oldid 1134037153, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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