17 Squadron | |
---|---|
Branch | RAAF |
Part of | 396ECSW |
Garrison/HQ | RAAF Base Tindal |
No. 17 Squadron (17SQN), formerly 322 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron (322ECSS) is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) ground support squadron based at RAAF Base Tindal near Katherine, Northern Territory. In addition to providing support services at RAAF Tindal, it also has responsibilities for the three RAAF bare bases: RAAF Scherger near Weipa, Queensland, RAAF Curtin near Derby, Western Australia and RAAF Learmonth near Exmouth, Western Australia; and the Delamere Air Weapons Range. [1]
The Airfield Defence Guard (ADG) mustering of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) performs specialist ground defence tasks to protect air power assets from hostile ground action. The mustering is composed of non-commissioned members, commonly called 'ADGies,' most of whom are employed within a Security Forces (SECFOR) Squadron (SQN). Their primary role is the protection of RAAF equipment, personnel, assets and facilities during operations. While ADGs train to counter special forces as the primary ground threat to the projection of air power, ADGs are themselves conventional forces. Other duties include training RAAF personnel in weapon handling and basic ground defence tactics.
RAAF Base Richmond is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base located within the City of Hawkesbury, approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) North-West of the Sydney Central Business District in New South Wales, Australia. Situated between the towns of Windsor and Richmond, the base is the oldest base in New South Wales and the second oldest in Australia. The base is home to the transport headquarters RAAF Air Lift Group, and its major operational formations, Nos. 84 and 86 Wings. The main aircraft type operated at the base is the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Richmond is a regular venue for air shows and had at times been mooted as a site for Sydney's proposed second international airport.
RAAF Base Pearce is the main Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the RAAF and the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
No. 75 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fighter unit based at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. The squadron was formed in 1942 and saw extensive action in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, operating P-40 Kittyhawks. It was disbanded in 1948, but reformed the following year and operated jet aircraft throughout the Cold War. The squadron was based at Malta from 1952 to 1954, flying de Havilland Vampires, and Malaysia from 1968 to 1983, with Dassault Mirage IIIs, before returning to Australia.
RAAF Base Tindal is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base and civil aviation airfield located 8 nautical miles east southeast of the town of Katherine, Northern Territory in Australia. The base is currently home to No. 75 Squadron and a number of non-flying units, and also hosts the Katherine Tindal Civilian Airport. First constructed in 1942, it was refurbished in the late 1960s as a "bare base" capable of being utilised when required. It was opened as a permanently manned RAAF base in 1989.
No. 4 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron composed of the air force special forces Combat Controllers, aircrew who operate the Pilatus PC-21 aircraft and instructors for the Australian Defence Force Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) course.
The Royal Australian Air Force currently maintains three bare bases in remote areas of Northern Australia. These bases were developed in the 1980s and 1990s in line with the Defence of Australia Policy in order to enhance the RAAF's ability to conduct combat operations from the Australian mainland. As front line bases, the bare bases are well provisioned with bunkers and other defensive facilities and have the capability to support the RAAF's combat aircraft during wartime.
The Royal Australian Air Force's Air Combat Group (ACG) is the group which administers the RAAF's fighter and bomber aircraft. ACG was formed on 7 February 2002 by merging the RAAF's Tactical Fighter Group and Strike Reconnaissance Group in an attempt to improve the speed with which the RAAF can deploy its combat aircraft. The current commander of ACG is Air Commodore Anthony Grady.
No. 81 Wing is responsible for operating the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, the wing comprises three combat units, Nos. 3 and 77 Squadrons based at Williamtown and No. 75 Squadron at RAAF Base Tindal, Northern Territory, as well as an operational conversion unit at Williamtown. No. 81 Wing headquarters oversees squadron training in air-to-air and air-to-ground tactics, and support for the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy. Tasked with offensive and defensive counter-air operations, the Hornets have been deployed to Diego Garcia in 2001–02, when they provided local air defence, to Iraq in 2003, when they saw action flying fighter escort and close air support missions in concert with Coalition forces, and to the Middle East in 2015–16, when they undertook strike operations during the military intervention against ISIL. They have also been employed to patrol high-profile events in Australia, including the Commonwealth Games and visits by foreign dignitaries.
No 395 Expeditionary Combat Support Wing is a ground support wing of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Part of the Combat Support Group, it is responsible for the provision of combat and base support services, including command and control of airbases and airspace, force protection, communications and logistics. Consisting of 11 sub units, it is one of the largest RAAF units and is made up of one Combat Communications Squadron, two Expeditionary Combat Support Squadrons, three Security Forces Squadrons and seven Combat Support Units which are based at various locations around Australia.
No. 396 Expeditionary Combat Support Wing is a ground support wing of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Part of the Combat Support Group, it is responsible for the provision of combat and base support services and maintains the RAAF's "bare bases" at Weipa, Exmouth and Derby in the northern part of Australia's airspace. The wing consists of three expeditionary combat support squadrons, one combat support squadron, an operations support squadron, a combat logistics squadron and two support units, which are located at various bases all around Australia, and in Malaysia at RMAF Butterworth.
The Airfield Defence Wing of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was formed to provide command and control of the RAAFs Airfield Defence Squadrons (AFDSs). Between the end of World War II and 1983, the RAAF did not possess a formed unit of ground defence specialists. No. 2 Airfield Defence Squadron (2AFDS) was reformed as the sole AFDS in 1983; however, following the introduction of the Ready Reserve scheme in 1992, No. 1 Airfield Defence Squadron (1AFDS) was reformed at RAAF Base Tindal, Northern Territory. The establishment of two squadrons led to the requirement for a parent headquarters to provide appropriate command and control, with AFDW being formed in 1994. No. 3 Airfield Defence Squadron was raised in 1996 as a further subordinate unit of AFDW. The wing was disbanded in 2006 and its function absorbed by No. 395 Expeditionary Combat Support Wing. 3AFDS was disbanded as part of the same process.
No. 23 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is a non-flying base operations and training squadron headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley near Brisbane, Queensland. The squadron was formed in 1937 and saw action against the Japanese during World War II as a bomber squadron. Operating from Archerfield during the early stages of the war, the squadron undertook maritime patrols off Australia's east coast before converting to a dive-bomber role and taking part in the New Guinea campaign. Later in the war, the squadron converted to Liberator heavy bombers and flew missions against Japanese targets in the Netherlands East Indies. After the war, No. 23 Squadron was used to reform No. 6 Squadron and was then re-raised as a Citizens Air Force unit based in Brisbane. Until 1960, the squadron flew jet fighter aircraft before converting to a ground support role and now forms part of the RAAF's Combat Support Group.
No 27 Squadron RAAF is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) reserve and ground support squadron located at RAAF Base Townsville, Queensland. The squadron was formed on 1 July 1981 to recruit and train RAAF reservists in the Townsville area and in July 2010 took on the additional role of providing support services to RAAF Base Townsville.
No. 325 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron (325ECSS) was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) ground support squadron. It was formed on 30 September 2008 by combining Combat Support Unit Richmond and Combat Support Unit Glenbrook. The two units were combined as part of reforms which aim to improve the efficiency of the RAAF's airbase services and improve the force's expeditionary support capability. 325ECSS provides support services at RAAF Base Richmond and RAAF Base Glenbrook with a contingency role of providing personnel for the Northern Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron.
No. 5 Airfield Construction Squadron (5ACS) was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) construction squadron. The unit was first formed in July 1942 and served in the New Guinea Campaign and Borneo Campaign during World War II. The squadron was one of only a few RAAF airfield construction units to be retained at the end of the war, and formed part of Australia's contribution to the occupation of Japan from 1945 until it was disbanded in June 1949. 5ACS was re-raised in August 1951 and worked on several RAAF airfields in Australia. It also provided small detachments of engineers to support RAAF deployments to South Vietnam and Thailand during the Vietnam War. The squadron was the RAAF's only airfield construction unit from 1961 onward, and was disbanded in December 1974.
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military airbase located 8 km (5.0 mi) southwest of Ipswich, Queensland in Australia and 50 km (31 mi) southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron, No. 33 Squadron and No. 36 Squadron. Amberley is also home to Army units making up the 9th Force Support Battalion. Located on 1,600 hectares, RAAF Amberley is the largest operational base in the RAAF, employing over 5,000 uniformed and civilian personnel. There are a variety of other formations on the base such as training colleges and maintenance areas. Amberley's largest squadron in terms of personnel is No. 382 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron RAAF (ECSS) providing both garrison and deployed combat support. Amberley was one of only two airfields in Australia that were listed as a Transoceanic Abort (TOA) landing site for the Space Shuttle. Amberley is currently undergoing a A$64 million dollar re-development program. The RAAF has plans to have Amberley operating as its "superbase" with flights of F/A-18F Super Hornets, F-35 Lightning II, KC-30A, C-17 Globemaster. No. 35 Squadron is planned to move to the base from RAAF Base Richmond after it is fully equipped with the C-27J.
No. 321 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron (322ECSS) was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) ground support squadron based at RAAF Base Darwin near Darwin, Northern Territory.
Delamere Air Weapons Range is a bombing range operated by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), located in the Northern Territory of Australia. The facility is located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) south of the town of Katherine and RAAF Base Tindal, Australia's largest airbase.