Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force | |
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Per Ardua ad Astra "Through Adversity to the Stars" | |
March |
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Anniversaries | RAAF Anniversary Commemoration – 31 March |
Engagements |
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Website | https://www.airforce.gov.au |
Commanders | |
C-27J Spartan |
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal aerial warfare 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]
Formed in March 1921, as the Australian Air Force, through the separation of the
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
The RAAF operates the majority of the ADF's fixed wing aircraft, although both the
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
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
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
In 1939, just after the outbreak of the Second World War, Australia joined the
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
Pacific War
The beginning of the
During the
In the
By mid-1945, the RAAF's main operational formation in the Pacific, the
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
During the
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
South East Asia operations
In the
During the
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)
Military airlifts were conducted for a number of purposes in subsequent decades, such as the peacekeeping operations in
In late September 2014, an Air Task Group consisting of up to eight
In June 2017, two RAAF
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
In October 2023, the Australian Government announced that, in addition to a further round of A$31.6 million for military assistance for Ukraine, it would be sending a single E-7A Wedgetail.[67] This aircraft, and the associated 100 personnel - mainly from 2 Squadron, would operate from Ramstein Air Base for a six month deployment under Operation Kudu.[68][69] The stated objective of the deployment was to "help ensure that vital support flowing to Ukraine by the international community is protected."[70]
Structure
Headquarters
- Air Force Headquarters RAAF – Air Force Executive
- RAAF Air Command – Air Force Combat Forces
- Defence Space Command – tri-service integrated headquarters for space operations
Force Element Groups
- 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 development
Wings and squadrons
Flying squadrons
List of flying squadrons |
---|
No. 1 Squadron – Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet (Multi-Role Fighter) |
No. 2 Squadron – Boeing E-7A Wedgetail (AEW&C) |
No. 3 Squadron – Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (Multi-Role Fighter) |
No. 4 Squadron – Pilatus PC-21(F) (JTAC Training) |
No. 6 Squadron – Boeing EA-18G Growler (Electronic Warfare) |
No. 9 Squadron – Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton (Maritime Patrol) |
No. 10 Squadron – MC-55A Peregrine (SIGINT and ELINT) |
No. 11 Squadron – Boeing P-8A 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 II (Multi-Role Fighter) |
No. 76 Squadron – BAE Systems Hawk 127 (Lead-in Fighter Training/ADF Support) |
No. 77 Squadron – Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (Multi-Role Fighter) |
No. 79 Squadron – BAE Systems Hawk 127 (Introductory Fast Jet Training/ADF Support) |
No. 100 Squadron – Heritage aircraft |
No. 292 Squadron – Boeing P-8A Poseidon (Operational Conversion) |
CFS – Pilatus PC-21 (Flying Instructor Training) |
No. 1 FTS – Pilatus PC-21 (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 II (Operational Conversion) |
ARDU – Various aircraft types (Flight Testing) |
Non-flying squadrons
List of non-flying squadrons |
---|
No. 1 SECFOR SQN – Airbase Force Protection |
No. 1 EHS – Health Operations |
No. 1 CCS – Combat Communications |
No. 1 RSU – Wide Area Surveillance
|
Ab Initio Training
|
No. 2 SECFOR SQN – Airbase Force Protection |
No. 2 EHS – Health Operations |
No. 3 EHS – Health Operations |
No. 3 CRU – Surveillance and Air Battle Management |
No. 3 SECFOR SQN – Airbase Force Protection
|
No. 4 EHS – Health Operations |
No. 13 Squadron – RAAF Darwin Airbase Operations |
No. 17 Squadron – RAAF Tindal Airbase Operations |
RMAF Butterworth Airbase Operations
|
RAAF Woomera Airbase Operations
|
No. 21 Squadron – RAAF Williams Airbase Operations |
No. 22 Squadron – RAAF Richmond Airbase Operations |
No. 23 Squadron – RAAF Amberley Airbase Operations |
No. 24 Squadron – RAAF Edinburgh Airbase Operations |
No. 25 Squadron – RAAF Pearce Airbase Operations |
No. 26 Squadron – RAAF Williamtown Airbase Operations |
No. 27 Squadron – RAAF Townsville Airbase Operations |
No. 28 Squadron – Administrative Support Operations |
No. 29 Squadron – Administrative Support Operations |
No. 30 Squadron – RAAF East Sale Airbase Operations |
No. 31 Squadron – RAAF Wagga Airbase Operations |
No. 65 Squadron – Airfield Engineering and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) |
No. 87 Squadron – Intelligence Operations |
No. 114 MCRU – Deployable Surveillance, Air Battle Management and Air Traffic Control |
No. 278 Squadron – Operational Training |
No. 381 SQN – Contingency Response Squadron |
No. 382 SQN – Contingency Response Squadron |
No. 452 Squadron – Air Traffic Control |
No. 453 Squadron – Air Traffic Control |
No. 460 Squadron – Intelligence Operations |
No. 462 Squadron – Information Warfare Operations |
ASCENG SQN – Aircraft/Stores Compatibility Engineering Development |
AMTDU – Air Movements Training and Development |
ASES – Aircraft Systems Engineering Development |
CSTS – Combat Survival Training |
RAAF AIS – Aeronautical Information |
RAAF BAND – RAAF Ceremonial Band |
DEOTS – Explosive Ordnance Training |
AVMED – Aviation Medicine Research and Development |
JEWOSU – Electronic Warfare Operations and Development |
OTS – Officer Ab Initio Training
|
RAAF Museum – Royal Australian Air Force Museum |
RAAF SFS – Security and Fire Training |
SAW – Air Combat Officer and Observer Training |
RAAFSALT – Administrative and Logistics Training |
RAAFSATC – Air Traffic Control Training |
RAAFSPS – Officer and Airman Post Graduate Professional Training |
RAAFSTT – Air Technical Training |
SACTU – Air Defence Training |
Woomera Test Facility – Augmented Testing Range
|
Wings
List of current wings |
---|
No. 41 Wing (Surveillance & Air Battle Management) |
No. 42 Wing (AEW&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 & VIP transport) |
No. 86 Wing (Airlift & 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 centre |
AirA – 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 training |
DTWG – Aerospace Systems Development |
CSCC – Combat Support Coordination |
HSW – Health Operations |
IWD – Information Warfare and Intelligence |
Equipment
Aircraft
Armament
Name | Origin | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Air-to-air missile | |||
ASRAAM | United Kingdom | IR guided missile | 420 units[79] |
AIM-120 AMRAAM | United States | beyond-visual-range missile | 535 units[79] |
AIM-9 Sidewinder | United States | IR guided missile | 1466 units, of which 216 are AIM-9X[79]
|
Air-to-surface missile | |||
AGM-88 HARM | United States | anti-radiation missile | 26 units[79] |
AGM-154
|
United States | joint standoff glide bomb
|
50 units[79] |
AGM-158
|
United States | standoff air-launched cruise missile | 80 units (B variant)[80] |
General-purpose bomb | |||
JDAM
|
United States | precision-guided munition | 350 units[79] |
GBU-15 | United States | precision-guided munition | 100 units[79] |
GBU-12 Paveway II | United States | laser-guided bomb | 350 units[79] |
Anti-ship missile | |||
AGM-158C LRASM | United States | Stealth long range anti-ship missile. | 200 units[79] will be integrated onboard F/A-18F.[81] |
Penguin Mk 2 | Norway | ||
Mark 54 torpedo
|
United States | anti-sub weapon | 300[79] |
AGM-84 Harpoon | United States | 200[79] |
Personnel
Strength
As of June 2018, the RAAF had 14,313 permanent full-time personnel and 5,499 part-time active reserve personnel.[82]
Women
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.[83] 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.[84] 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.[85][86]
Ranks
The rank structure of the nascent RAAF was established to ensure that the service remained separate from the Army and Navy.[87] 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.[88]
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 | Warrant Officer | Senior Non-Commissioned Officer | Junior Non-Commissioned Officer | Other ranks | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-6 | OR-5 | 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/
Aircraftwoman |
Aircraftman/ Aircraftwoman |
Recruit |
Abbreviation: | WOFF-AF | WOFF | FSGT | SGT | CPL | LAC/LACW | AC/ACW | 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-grey when an all-seasons uniform was introduced in 1972 by Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Colin Hannah. The original colour and style were re-adopted from 1 January 2000 under direction from the then CAF Air Marshal Errol McCormack.[89][90][91] Slip-on rank epaulettes, known as "Soft Rank Insignia" (SRI), displaying the word "AUSTRALIA" are worn on the shoulders of the service dress uniform.[88] 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 Camouflage Uniform.[92]
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
The RAAF badge was accepted by the
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.[97]
Roulettes
The Roulettes are the RAAF's formation aerobatic display team. They perform around Australia and Southeast Asia, and are part of the RAAF Central Flying School (CFS) based at RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria.[98] The Roulettes operate the Pilatus PC-21 and formations for shows are a group of six aircraft. The pilots learn many formations including loops, rolls, corkscrews and ripple rolls. Most of the performances are done at a low altitude of 500 feet (150 metres).[99]
Future procurement
This list includes aircraft on order or a requirement which has been identified:
- Up to 100 F-35A Lightning II (CTOL variant) with no fewer than 72 aircraft acquired to equip three operational squadrons and an operational conversion unit. 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.[100][101] 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.[102] 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.[103][104] 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.[105][106]
- 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.[107]
- 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.[108] 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.[109] They will be based at RAAF Base Edinburgh however will regularly conduct missions from RAAF Base Tindal.[110]
- 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.[111]
- In May 2020, Boeing Australia unveiled the Airpower Teaming System (ATS), a joint partnership between the company and the RAAF. The Airpower Teaming System 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.[112]
- Four intelligence gathering aircraft, based on the Gulfstream G550, in a A$2.5 billion procurement.[113][114]
- 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.[115] 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.[116]
- 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.[117][118][119] The project has a timeframe of mid to late 2020s.[119] The project had been named Medium Range Air and Missile Defence in the 2016 Integrated Investment Program.[120][121] The project was also renamed and renumbered to AIR6502 Phase 1 from AIR6500 Phase 2 for the 2020 Force Structure Plan.[121]
- The full replacement and expansion of the existing 12 C-130J Super Hercules fleet to 20 aircraft.[122] Announced in July 2023 by Defence Minister Richard Marles, the fleet expansion and renewal is budgeted at A$9.8 billion.[123]
See also
- Airfield 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 aircraft
- Air Force (newspaper)
Lists
- 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 Force
Memorials and museums
- List of Australian military memorials
- Royal Australian Air Force Memorial, Brisbane
- Royal Australian Air Force Memorial, Canberra
References
Citations
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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