Royal Australian Air Force
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The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF began in March 1914 as the Australian Flying Corps and became a fully independent air force in March 1921. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts including both World Wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. More recently the RAAF participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The motto on the RAAF's coat of arms is the Latin phrase Per Ardua ad Astra, which means "Through Struggle to the Stars",[1] and is the same as that of the Royal Air Force.
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[edit] History
[edit] World War I
Soon after the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Australian Flying Corps sent aircraft to assist in capturing German colonies in what is now north-west New Guinea. These colonies surrendered quickly however, before the planes were even unpacked. The first operational flights did not occur until May 27, 1915, when the Mesopotamian Half Flight was called upon to assist the Indian Army in protecting British oil interests in what is now Iraq. The Corps later saw action in Egypt, Palestine and on the Western Front throughout the remainder of World War I. By the end of the war, four squadrons had seen active service.
AFC World War I flying aces include the following pilots:
- A. H. "Harry" Cobby (29)
- Elwyn King (26)
- Alexander Pentland (23)
- Edgar McCloughry (21)
- Richard Minifie (21)
- Edgar Johnston (20)
- Andrew Cowper (19)
- Cedric Howell (19)
- Fred Holliday (17)
- Allan Hepburn (16)
- Francis Ryan Smith (16)
- John Rutherford Gordon (15)
- Roy Cecil Phillipps (15)
[edit] World War II
In 1939, just after the start of World War II, 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 19 RAAF bomber, fighter, reconnaissance and other squadrons served initially in Britain, and/or with the Desert Air Force, in North Africa and the Mediterranean. About nine per cent of the personnel who served under British RAF commands in Europe and the Mediterranean were RAAF personnel.[1]
With British manufacturing targeted by the Luftwaffe, the Australian government created the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) to supply Commonwealth air forces and the RAAF was eventually provided with large numbers of locally-built versions of British designs like the DAP Beaufort torpedo bomber.
In the European Theatre of World War II, RAAF personnel were especially notable in RAF Bomber Command: they represented two percent of all RAAF personnel during the war, but accounted for 23% of the total number 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.
The beginning of the Pacific War — and the rapid advance of Japanese forces — threatened the Australian mainland for the first time. The RAAF was quite unprepared for the emergency, and initially had negligible forces available for service in the Pacific. The devastating air raids on Darwin on February 19, 1942 drove the point home. 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 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.
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. Although it was much bigger than Japanese fighters, the Beaufighter had the speed to outrun them.
The RAAF's heavy bomber force was predominantly comprised of 287 B-24 Liberators, which could bomb Japanese targets as far away as Borneo and the Philippines from airfields in Australia and New Guinea.
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. The RAAF's main operational formation, the First Tactical Air Force, comprised more than 18,000 personnel and 20 squadrons; it had taken part in the Philippines and Borneo campaigns and was scheduled to participate in the invasion of the Japanese mainland, Operation Downfall. So too were the RAAF bomber squadrons in Europe, as part of the proposed Tiger Force. However, the war was brought to a sudden end by the US nuclear attacks on Japan. As a result of the Empire Air Training Scheme, about 20,000 Australian personnel had served with other Commonwealth air forces in Europe during World War II. A total of 216,900 men and women served in the RAAF, of whom 11,061 were killed in action.
[edit] Service since 1945
In the Korean War, Mustangs from No. 77 Squadron (77 Sqn), 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 MiG-15 jet fighters, 77 Sqn acquired Gloster Meteors, which enabled some success against the Soviet pilots flying for North Korea. However the MiGs were superior aircraft 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.
During the Vietnam War, from 1966-72, the RAAF contributed squadrons of Caribou STOL transport aircraft (No. 35 Squadron), UH-1 Iroquois helicopters (No. 9 Squadron) and English Electric Canberra bombers (No. 2 Squadron). The Canberras flew a large number of bombing sorties, and two were lost. One went missing during a bombing raid, and neither the crew nor the aircraft has ever been located. The other was shot down by a surface to air missile, although both crew were rescued. RAAF transport aircraft also supported anti-communist ground forces. The UH-1 helicopters were used in many roles including Dustoff (medical evacuation) and Bushranger Gunships for armed support.
Military airlifts were conducted for a number of purposes in the intervening decades, such as the peacekeeping operations in East Timor from 1999. Australia's combat aircraft were not used again in anger until the Iraq War in 2003, when F/A-18s from No. 75 Squadron operated in the escort and ground attack roles.
[edit] Ranks and uniform
The RAAF uses RAF-derived ranks for both officers and other ranks, with the exceptions that the RAAF do not use the "Technician" ranks of the RAF and the insignia for Leading Aircraftman/Aircraftwoman is a single chevron, rather than a propeller blade, and there is no Senior Aircraftman/Aircraftwoman rank as there is in the RAF. However, unlike their British, Canadian and New Zealand counterparts, they do not wear a blue-grey uniform. The RAAF uniform is a very dark blue with AUSTRALIA on slip-on rank epaulettes and worn at shoulder height on each sleeve of the service dress uniform tunic.
[edit] Roundel
The current version of the RAAF Roundel was formally adopted on the 2nd of July, 1956. The Roundel exists of a white inner circle with a Red Kangaroo surrounded by a royal blue circle. The kangaroo always faces left, except when used on aircraft or vehicles, when the kangaroo should always face the front.
Originally, the Air Force used the existing red, white and blue Roundel of the Royal Air Force. However, during World War II, the inner red circle was removed when after a No. 11 Squadron Catalina was mistaken for a Japanese aircraft by a US Navy Wildcat in the Pacific Theatre.[1]
After the war, a range of options were proposed, including the Southern Cross, a boomerang, a sprig of wattle and the red kangaroo.
[edit] Current strength
[edit] Aircraft
As of 2006, the following aircraft are operated by the RAAF:
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service[2][3] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAE Systems Hawk |  United Kingdom |
Lead-in fighter trainer | Hawk 127 | 33 | |
| Beechcraft King Air |  United States |
Navigational trainer | B300 | 7-8 | |
| Boeing 707 | United States |
Tanker/transport | 707-320C | 4 | Three are dual role tanker/transports, one a pure transport. While these aircraft were previously used for VIP transport they have been used for military purposes only since the long-term lease of two Boeing 737s. |
| Boeing 737 | United States |
VIP transport | 737-700 BBJ | 2 | Long term lease |
| Boeing C-17 Globemaster III | United States |
Transport | 1 | 1st Aircraft delivered December 2006, 2 in 2007 with the final to be delivered in 2008. | |
| Bombardier Challenger 600 |  Canada |
VIP transport | CL 604 | 3-4 | |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou | Canada |
Transport | 10 | ||
| General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark | United States |
Strike | F-111 total F-111C F-111G RF-111C |
26-28 15-17 7 4 |
Mixture of the original long-range F-111C type, RF-111C reconnaissance variants, and ex-USAF F-111A (upgraded to most of the C specifications) and F-111G attrition replacements. These aircraft are due to be decommissioned in 2010. The F/A-18F has been selected as an interim replacement. |
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules | United States |
Transport | C-130 total C-130H C-130J-30 |
24 12 12 |
|
| Lockheed P-3 Orion | United States |
Maritime patrol | P-3 total AP-3C TAP-3B |
21 18 3 |
TAP-3 aircraft to be withdrawn. |
| McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet | United States Australia |
Fighter/attack | F/A-18 total F/A-18A F/A-18B |
71 54 17 |
Built in Australia under licence from McDonnell Douglas. The F/A-18 fleet has been the subject of various upgrades since it entered service in the 1980s and remains capable, but fatigue issues mean that it may not remain a viable front-line air defence option until the planned retirement date of 2015, although this is being mitigated through a centre barrel replacement program. 24 F/A-18F Block II Super Hornets will replace the F-111 from 2010. |
| Pilatus PC-9 |  Switzerland Australia |
Advanced trainer | 65 | Produced under licence in Australia by de Havilland Australia. |
In addition, 24 PAC CT/4 basic trainers, better known as the "Plastic Parrot", are owned and operated by BAE Systems for primary training.
[edit] Flying Squadrons
- No. 1 Squadron - General Dynamics F-111 (Ground Attack)
- No. 2 Squadron - Boeing Wedgetail (AEW&C) (operational 2009)
- No. 3 Squadron - McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (Air Defence)
- No. 6 Squadron - General Dynamics F-111 (Training/Ground Attack)
- No. 10 Squadron - Lockheed P-3C Orion (Maritime Patrol)
- No. 11 Squadron - Lockheed P-3C Orion (Maritime Patrol)
- No. 33 Squadron - Boeing 707 (AAR)
- No. 34 Squadron - Boeing 737, Bombardier Challenger 604 (Transport)
- No. 36 Squadron - Boeing Globemaster III (Transport)
- No. 37 Squadron - Lockheed C-130H/C-130J-30 Hercules (Transport)
- No. 38 Squadron - De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou (Transport)
- No. 75 Squadron - McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (Air Defence)
- No. 76 Squadron - BAE Systems Hawk 127 (Advanced Training/Close Support)
- No. 77 Squadron - McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (Air Defence)
- No. 79 Squadron - BAE Systems Hawk 127 (Advanced Training/Close Support)
- No. 292 Squadron - Lockheed P-3C Orion (Training/Maritime Patrol)
- No. 2 OCU - McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (Training & Type Conversion)
[edit] Future equipment
This list includes aircraft on order or a requirement which has been identified.
- Up to 100 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (CTOL variant) — were meant to be delivered from 2012 but in May 2005 Defence Minister Robert Hill announced that a final commitment to purchase the F-35 would not be made until 2008, replacing an earlier cutoff date in 2006.
- 24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets. On March 6, 2007, Defence Minister Brendon Nelson announced that the Australian Government had purchased 24 F/A-18F aircraft to reduce the risk of a gap in strike capability, between the retirement of the F-111 in 2010 and delivery of the F-35. .[2]
- six Boeing Project Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft, with the option for 1 more.
- five Airbus KC-30B Multi-Role Tanker Transports — to replace the ageing 707s in aerial refueling and strategic transport roles.
- four Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs have been ordered to improve the RAAF's continental and strategic airlift capabilities. The first aircraft was delivered in late 2006 with the fourth aircraft being delivered in February 2008.[3]
- Maritime patrol aircraft to replace AP-3C Orions. The RAAF are considering options that include a mixture of Boeing's P-8 Poseidon and Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk.
[edit] See also
- Aircraft of the RAAF
- List of Royal Australian Air Force aircraft squadrons
- List of Australian air force bases
- Australian Air Traffic Control
- Airfield Defence Guards
- Australian Air Force Cadets
- Royal Australian Air Force Memorial, Canberra
- Royal Australian Air Force Memorial, Brisbane - (photos of the memorial in Queens Gardens)
- Australian Defence Force ranks and insignia
- List of air forces
[edit] References
- ^ a b RAAF Badge and Roundel. Australian Department of Defence. Retrieved on 2007-03-15.
- ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.
- ^ 2005-06 Defence Annual Report Page 134
[edit] External links
- RAAF official site
- Air Power Australia site
- Parliamentary Inquiry into Australian Defence Force Regional Air Superiority
| Australian Defence Force |
|---|
 Australian Army  Royal Australian Navy  Royal Australian Air Force |
