List of current Royal Australian Air Force aircraft
This is a list of the current Royal Australian Air Force aircraft in operation:
Current aircraft[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Australian_EA-18G_at_Joint_Base_Pearl_Harbor-Hickam_in_2017.jpg/220px-Australian_EA-18G_at_Joint_Base_Pearl_Harbor-Hickam_in_2017.jpg)
Aircraft | Unit operating | Number of aircraft | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
Combat aircraft | |||
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II stealth multirole fighter aircraft | No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit (RAAF Base Williamtown)
No. 3 Squadron (RAAF Base Williamtown)
61st Fighter Squadron, United States Air Force (for training and testing) |
45 (72 total on order – five based in the US providing flight training)[1] | United States |
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter aircraft | No. 1 Squadron (RAAF Base Amberley) |
24 | United States |
Patrol aircraft | |||
Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and anti submarine warfare aircraft | No. 11 Squadron (RAAF Base Edinburgh) | 12 (2 on order)[2] | United States |
AEW&C and EW aircraft | |||
Boeing E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft | No. 2 Squadron (RAAF Base Williamtown) | 6[3] | United States |
Boeing EA-18G Growler Electronic Warfare aircraft | No. 6 Squadron (RAAF Base Amberley) | 11 (1 on order)[4] | United States |
Lockheed AP-3C Orion electronic signals intelligence aircraft | No. 10 Squadron (RAAF Base Edinburgh) | 2 AP-3C EW variant (to be replaced by MC-55A) | United States |
MC-55A Peregrine Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare (ISREW) aircraft | Surveillance and Response Group (SRG) (RAAF Base Edinburgh) | 4 on order [5] | United States |
Transport aircraft | |||
Alenia C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifter | No. 35 Squadron (RAAF Base Amberley) | 10 | Italy |
Lockheed C-130J Hercules medium transport | No. 37 Squadron (RAAF Base Richmond) | 12 | United States |
Boeing C-17 Globemaster heavy transport | No. 36 Squadron (RAAF Base Amberley) | 8 | United States |
Airbus KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport | No. 33 Squadron (RAAF Base Amberley) | 7 (1 VIP configured[6]) | Spain/France |
Boeing BBJ (Boeing Business Jet) VIP transport | No. 34 Squadron (Defence Establishment Fairbairn) | 2 | United States |
Dassault Falcon 7X VIP transport | No. 34 Squadron (Defence Establishment Fairbairn) | 3 | France |
Beechcraft King Air 350 light transport | No. 38 Squadron (RAAF Base Townsville) | 8 | United States |
Helicopters | |||
AgustaWestland AW139 SAR helicopter | RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base East Sale RAAF Base Pearce RAAF Base Tindal RAAF Base Williamtown[7] |
6 (contracted with CHC Helicopter)[8] | Italy |
Training aircraft | |||
Diamond DA40NG | Australian Air Force Cadets | 8 (under civilian registrations) | Austria |
Pilatus PC-21 | Central Flying School (RAAF Base East Sale)
No. 2 Flying Training School (RAAF Base Pearce) No. 4 Squadron (FAC training) (RAAF Base Williamtown) |
49[9] | Switzerland |
BAe Hawk 127 lead-in fighter trainer | No. 79 Squadron (RAAF Base Pearce) No. 76 Squadron (RAAF Base Williamtown) |
33 | United Kingdom |
Beechcraft King Air 350 navigation & specialised trainer | No. 32 Squadron (RAAF Base East Sale) | 8 | United States |
Remotely piloted aircraft | |||
MQ-4C Triton | No. 92 Wing | 6 on order; 1 more planned[10][11] | United States |
MQ-9B SkyGuardian | No. 92 Wing | 12-16 planned[12][13] | United States |
Loyal Wingman (Boeing Airpower Teaming System) | TBD | 1 (6 prototypes to be acquired) [14] | Australia |
Heritage aircraft[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/CAC_CA-18_Mk.23_Mustang%2C_RAAF_Museum_JP6950877.jpg/220px-CAC_CA-18_Mk.23_Mustang%2C_RAAF_Museum_JP6950877.jpg)
Ownership of 12 historic aircraft was transferred from Temora Aviation Museum to the RAAF in July 2019; they continue to be maintained by museum staff but operated by the RAAF as the Temora Historic Flight with pilots inducted into the RAAF Reserve.[15] No. 100 Squadron was reformed in March 2021 as the Air Force Heritage Squadron to operate airworthy warbirds based at the RAAF Museum and Temora.[16]
Future acquisitions[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/RAAF_F-35_taking_off_during_the_Australian_International_Airshow_and_Aerospace_%26_Defence_Exposition_2017.jpg/220px-RAAF_F-35_taking_off_during_the_Australian_International_Airshow_and_Aerospace_%26_Defence_Exposition_2017.jpg)
- AIR 6000: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II multirole fighter[17][18]
- A possible total of 100 F-35As are to be purchased under Project Air 6000 to replace the Hornets and Super Hornets.
- AIR 6000, Phase 2A/2B, Stage 1: 14 F-35A fighters have been approved for purchase for service entry from 2014.
- AIR 6000, Phase 2A/2B, Stage 2: 58 F-35A fighters have been approved for purchase bringing total on order to 72 aircraft. Stage 1&2 will replace all F/A-18A/B fighters in service.
- AIR 6000, Phase 2C: around 28 additional F-35A fighters planned for purchase. These will replace all F/A-18F fighters in service.
- A possible total of 100 F-35As are to be purchased under Project Air 6000 to replace the Hornets and Super Hornets.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/P_8_and_P_3_over_Pax_River.jpg/220px-P_8_and_P_3_over_Pax_River.jpg)
- AIR 7000: ADF Maritime ISR capability replacement[19]
- Programme to replace the AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft with a crewed MPA/UAV mix.
- AIR 7000, Phase 1B: Purchase of 7 high altitude, long endurance maritime surveillance UAV. The MQ-4C Global Hawk was originally selected for the role, but the decision has been delayed until after the crewed portion is introduced.
- AIR 7000, Phase 2B: Purchase of 8 Boeing P-8A Poseidon crewed MPA has been given first-pass approval for service entry from 2018.
- Programme to replace the AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft with a crewed MPA/UAV mix.
- AIR 5428: Pilot Training System[20]
- Programme to replace PC-9/A training aircraft and training syllabus.
- Air 5428, Phase 1: 49 Pilatus PC-21 ordered in 2015 for entry into service by 2019.[21]
- Programme to replace PC-9/A training aircraft and training syllabus.
- Project AIR 555: Gulfstream G550
- In late 2015 the RAAF ordered two Gulfstream G550 aircraft to be delivered by 30 November 2017. The aircraft will be used for signals and electronic intelligence gathering.[22] Both Australian Aviation and FlightGlobal have reported that the aircraft will possibly form the replacement for the electronic intelligence-gathering role performed by 2 of RAAF's AP-3 Orions.[22][23]
- In March 2019, Defence Minister Christopher Pyne claimed that Australia will acquire four modified Gulfstream G550 business jets to strengthen the country's electronic warfare capabilities.[24] The $2.46 billion acquisition of the 4 G550s will be designated as the MC-55A Peregrine variant. It will be operated by the RAAF's Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group (SRG).
See also[]
- List of aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force
- Boeing C-17 Globemaster III in Australian service
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules in Australian service
- McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet in Australian service
Notes[]
- B ^ The aircraft are leased from the Canadian firm Macdonald Dettwiler and Associates.[25] Training on the UAVs is provided by a third aircraft operated by No. 5 Flight RAAF.[26]
References[]
- ^ "F-35 fighters arrive on Australian soil". defensenews.com. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ "Two more P-8A Poseidon aircraft boosts maritime patrol capability".
- ^ Waldron, Greg. "RAAF receives final Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft". Flight International, 5 June 2012.
- ^ McLaughlin, Andrew (1 October 2021). "Australia to buy one Growler attrition aircraft". ADBR. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "RAAF buys four MC-55A Peregrine – for $2.46billion".
- ^ "Inside 'Shark One': Scott Morrison's new $250MILLION plane is revealed after a commercial Jetstar Airbus A330 is transformed into a 100-seater tanker for the prime minister". www.msn.com. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
- ^ "CHC awarded RAAF SAR contract extension". Australian Aviation. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ "CHC introduces half dozen AW139s for RAAF work". Business Air News. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ Hartigan, Brian (6 December 2019). "RAAF welcomes final PC-21 to East Sale". CONTACT magazine. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ "Australian Government, Defense Department, 2016 Integrated Investment Program, p.32" (PDF).
- ^ Jamie Tarabay. "Australia invests in unmanned spy drones to fly over South China Sea". CNN. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ^ Wroe, David (15 November 2018). "Australia to buy armed Reaper drones in shift towards pilotless future". The Age. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
- ^ Pittaway, Nigel (16 November 2018). "Australia makes its pick for drone fleet". Defense News. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
- ^ "Australia makes another order for Boeing's Loyal Wingman drones after a successful first flight". Defence News. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "May 2019 News". Temora Aviation Museum. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "RAAF re-establishes No. 100 Squadron". Department of Defence. 6 February 2021.
- ^ "JSF Joint Strike Fighter". Royal Australian Air Force website. Archived from the original on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2008.
- ^ "Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft AIR 6000 Phase 2A/B". Defence Materiel Organisation. May 2011. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
- ^ "AIR 7000 Phase 1B/2B". Defence Materiel Organisation. June 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
- ^ "AIR 5428 Ph 1 Pilot Training System". Defence Materiel Organisation. December 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
- ^ "Lockheed's "Team 21" finally confirmed as AIR 5428 winning bidder". Australian Aviation.
- ^ a b "Defence confirms acquisition of two ISR and EW Gulfstreams". Australian Aviation. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Waldron, Greg (4 January 2016). "L-3 G550 contract suggests new Australian surveillance deal". Flightglobal. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
- ^ "RAAF to get four modified Gulfstream G550s for electronic warfare support". Australian Aviation. 18 March 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ Walters, Patrick (8 September 2010). "Heron on the wing to guide Diggers". The Australian. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- ^ McLaughlin, Andrew (April 2010). "Nankeen. The RAAF enters the UAV era with Heron lease". Australian Aviation. No. 270. Fyshwick: Phantom Media. p. 31. ISSN 0813-0876.
External links[]
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