No. 82 Wing RAAF
Encyclopedia
No. 82 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force
's strike
and reconnaissance
wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley
, Queensland, and operates the F/A-18F Super Hornet multirole fighter and Pilatus PC-9
forward air control
aircraft. The wing was formed in August 1944, flying B-24 Liberator heavy bombers in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II
. After the war it re-equipped with Avro Lincoln
s and, from 1953, English Electric Canberra
jets. Both saw action in the Malayan Emergency
; the Canberras were also deployed in the Vietnam War
from 1967 to 1971. Between 1970 and 1973, as a stop-gap pending delivery of the long-delayed General Dynamics F-111C
swing-wing
bomber, the wing flew leased F-4E Phantoms
. It then operated the F-111C for the next 37 years through numerous upgrades, augmented in the mid-1990s by ex-USAF
G models, before retiring the type in 2010.
and 24 Squadrons
, both equipped with B-24 Liberators, the wing became operational on 11 January 1945. By this time it was headquartered in the Northern Territory
, and came under the control of the RAAF’s North Western Area Command (NWA). Based at Fenton Airfield
, the wing's aircraft sank seven Japanese ships in the Dutch East Indies
during March. On 6 April, all of its available Liberators joined B-25 Mitchells of No. 79 Wing
in an assault on a Japanese convoy that included the cruiser Isuzu
. Anti-aircraft fire from the cruiser and other ships, as well as attacks by enemy fighters, resulted in the loss of two Liberators, and the crews' standard of aerial gunnery was criticised afterwards. Allied submarines sank the damaged Isuzu the following day. Later that month, No. 23 Squadron
, having recently converted to Liberators from Vultee Vengeances, was added to the wing's strength.
The Liberators of No. 82 Wing played both a tactical and a strategic bombing role in the Borneo Campaign
to free the Dutch East Indies
from Japanese occupation, beginning with the lead-up to Operation Oboe One, the invasion of Tarakan
on 1 May 1945. During the month a detachment relocated from Fenton to Morotai
, attacking targets in Celebes
and Balikpapan
prior to Operation Oboe Six, the invasion of Labuan
. In June, while the final Allied offensive of the Borneo Campaign got under way as Operation Oboe Two, the Battle of Balikpapan
, the remainder of No. 82 Wing transferred from NWA to the command of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
in Morotai. In the middle of the month the wing dropped 120 tons of bombs on Balikpapan's oil fields and surrounding areas, as well as coastal defence sites. During July it bombed targets at Celebes and Borneo
, losing five Liberators for the month. Just before the end of hostilities in the Pacific, the recently established garrison headquarters No. 11 Group
unofficially directed the wing's operations. Following the Japanese surrender in September 1945, No. 82 Wing's Liberators were converted to transports and used to repatriate RAAF personnel from the South West Pacific.
, Queensland, in 1946. No. 482 (Maintenance) Squadron was formed in May that year to be responsible for repair and upkeep of the wing's aircraft. Its flying complement now included Nos. 12
(formerly of No. 85 Wing), 21, and 23 Squadrons, but these were renumbered Nos. 1
, 2
and 6 Squadrons
respectively in February 1948. By this time the wartime Liberators had been replaced by Avro Lincoln
heavy bombers. During 1949–50, some of the Lincolns were specially modified with advanced radar and other instrumentation to participate in Operation Cumulative, a joint program with the Royal Air Force
gathering long-range navigation and bombing data for use in potential air campaigns against the Soviet Union. From 1952 to 1956, the Lincolns flew observation flights in connection with British atomic tests in Australia
.
In the 1950s and 60s, No. 82 Wing aircraft were heavily involved in overseas deployments. Between 1950 and 1958—for the first two years under the control of No. 90 (Composite) Wing—the Lincolns of No. 1 Squadron were tasked with the prime responsibility for the Commonwealth's bombing campaign against Communist insurgents during the Malayan Emergency
. In December 1953, No. 82 Wing took delivery of the RAAF's first jet bomber, the Canberra
, which over the next five years re-equipped all three of the wing's squadrons. The new bombers were acquired partly for their capacity to deliver nuclear weapon
s, an ordnance option the RAAF seriously investigated but never implemented. Following the re-equipping of Nos. 2 and 6 Squadrons with the Canberra, a Lincoln Conversion Flight
was formed in July 1955 under No. 82 Wing to provide training on the older bomber for crews preparing to deploy to Malaya for service with No. 1 Squadron; it disbanded in March 1956. Canberras from No. 2 Squadron relieved the Lincolns of No. 1 Squadron in Malaya during 1958, and saw extensive action in the Vietnam War
from 1967 to 1971. During the latter conflict they flew almost 12,000 sorties and delivered over 76,000 pounds of bombs, for the loss of two aircraft to enemy action. Between 1970 and 1973, while awaiting the delayed delivery of General Dynamics F-111C
swing-wing
bombers, Nos. 1 and 6 Squadrons flew leased F-4E Phantom
s, while No. 2 Squadron continued to operate the Canberra until disbanding in 1982. Though not as sophisticated an aircraft as the F-111, the Phantom was a significant advance over the Canberra, and highly regarded by its RAAF crews.
In June 1973 the wing accepted its first F-111Cs, which it continued to operate over the next 37 years through numerous upgrades, including the Pave Tack
infra-red and laser-guided precision weapons targeting system, Harpoon anti-shipping missiles, and advanced digital avionics
. Roles within the wing were demarcated such that No. 1 Squadron was the lead strike unit, while No. 6 Squadron was primarily tasked with flying reconnaissance missions using specially modified RF-111Cs, and providing crew conversion training
. In 1992 an order was placed to augment the F-111 force with 15 ex-USAF
G models, operated by No. 6 Squadron. As "the region's pre-eminent strike aircraft", the F-111 has been described as the most important acquisition in the RAAF's history. The closest they came to being used in anger, however, was during the Australian-led INTERFET
intervention into East Timor
in September 1999. Both F-111 squadrons were deployed to RAAF Base Tindal
, Northern Territory, to support the international forces, and remained there until December. From 20 September, when INTERFET began to arrive in East Timor, the aircraft were maintained at a high level of readiness to conduct reconnaissance flights or air strikes if the situation deteriorated. In the event, INTERFET did not encounter significant resistance, and F-111 operations were limited to reconnaissance by the RF-111Cs from 5 November through 9 December.
No. 482 (Maintenance) Squadron merged with Amberley's No. 3 Aircraft Depot to form No. 501 Wing in December 1991, the squadron's disbandment taking pace in June the following year. From 2001, Boeing Australia
performed all F-111 maintenance under a contract to the Federal government. In February 2002, No. 82 Wing came under the control of the newly established Air Combat Group
(ACG), formed by merging Tactical Fighter Group and Strike Reconnaissance Group. The merger altered the wing's responsibilities, as it transferred lead-in training for the F-111s to No. 78 Wing
at RAAF Base Williamtown
, New South Wales, and put No. 82 Wing in charge of the strike capability of No. 81 Wing's
F/A-18 Hornets, also based at Williamtown. No. 82 Wing's role was reiterated as "precision strike and reconnaissance"; the Forward Air Control Development Unit
(FACDU), flying Pilatus PC-9
s, was added to its strength. FACDU was merged with the RAAF Special Tactics Project in July 2009 to form No. 4 Squadron
. In 2007, the Australian Government decided to retire all of the F-111s by 2010, and acquire 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets as an "interim" replacement, pending the arrival of the under-development F-35 Lightning II
. No. 82 Wing began re-equipping with the Super Hornet in 2010, and the last F-111s were retired on 3 December that year. Also in 2010, the wing became home to No. 5 Flight
, which is responsible for training personnel to operate the RAAF's two IAI Heron
unmanned aerial vehicles based at Kandahar
in Afghanistan. In 2011 the RAAF acquired a third Heron, based in Australia and operated by No. 5 Flight for training purposes.
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
's strike
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
and reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force base located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron , No. 33 Squadron and No. 36 Squadron...
, Queensland, and operates the F/A-18F Super Hornet multirole fighter and Pilatus PC-9
Pilatus PC-9
The Pilatus PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop training aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland.-Design and development:...
forward air control
Forward air control
Forward air control is the provision of guidance to Close Air Support aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller . For NATO forces the qualifications and experience required to be...
aircraft. The wing was formed in August 1944, flying B-24 Liberator heavy bombers in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
. After the war it re-equipped with Avro Lincoln
Avro Lincoln
The Avro Type 694, better known as the Avro Lincoln, was a British four-engined heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were known initially as the Lancaster IV and V, but were renamed Lincoln I and II...
s and, from 1953, English Electric Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
jets. Both saw action in the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
; the Canberras were also deployed in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
from 1967 to 1971. Between 1970 and 1973, as a stop-gap pending delivery of the long-delayed General Dynamics F-111C
General Dynamics F-111C
The General Dynamics F-111C is a variant of the F-111 Aardvark medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft, developed by General Dynamics to meet Australian requirements. The design was based on the F-111A model but included longer wings and strengthened undercarriage...
swing-wing
Swing-wing
A variable-sweep wing is an aeroplane wing that may be swept back and then returned to its original position during flight. It allows the aircraft's planform to be modified in flight, and is therefore an example of a variable-geometry aircraft....
bomber, the wing flew leased F-4E Phantoms
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
. It then operated the F-111C for the next 37 years through numerous upgrades, augmented in the mid-1990s by ex-USAF
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
G models, before retiring the type in 2010.
World War II
No. 82 (Heavy Bomber) Wing—the RAAF's first—was formed at Ballarat, Victoria, on 25 August 1944. Comprising Nos. 21No. 21 Squadron RAAF
No. 21 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force general reserve squadron. It saw action as a fighter, dive bomber and heavy bomber unit during World War II.-History:...
and 24 Squadrons
No. 24 Squadron RAAF
No. 24 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1940 and saw action as a bomber squadron during World War II. Since the end of the war the Squadron has been an RAAF Reserve squadron located near Adelaide, South Australia....
, both equipped with B-24 Liberators, the wing became operational on 11 January 1945. By this time it was headquartered in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
, and came under the control of the RAAF’s North Western Area Command (NWA). Based at Fenton Airfield
Fenton Airfield
Fenton Airfield is a World War II military airfield located at Tipperary Station, Hayes Creek, Northern Territory, Australia.Abandoned since 1945, the site is an outstanding example of a World War II heavy bomber airfield construction and layout, and is one of three surviving examples of heavy...
, the wing's aircraft sank seven Japanese ships in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
during March. On 6 April, all of its available Liberators joined B-25 Mitchells of No. 79 Wing
No. 79 Wing RAAF
No. 79 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in December 1943 at Batchelor, Northern Territory, as part of North Western Area Command. Led by Group Captain Charles Eaton, the wing comprised four squadrons on its establishment, flying Beaufort and B-25 Mitchell...
in an assault on a Japanese convoy that included the cruiser Isuzu
Japanese cruiser Isuzu
was one of six s in the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was named after the Isuzu River, near Ise Shrine in the Chūbu region of Japan.-Background:Isuzu was the second of the six vessels completed in the Nagara-class of light cruisers, and like other vessels of her class, she was intended for use as...
. Anti-aircraft fire from the cruiser and other ships, as well as attacks by enemy fighters, resulted in the loss of two Liberators, and the crews' standard of aerial gunnery was criticised afterwards. Allied submarines sank the damaged Isuzu the following day. Later that month, No. 23 Squadron
No. 23 Squadron RAAF
No. 23 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force 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 during World War II as a bomber squadron.-History:No...
, having recently converted to Liberators from Vultee Vengeances, was added to the wing's strength.
The Liberators of No. 82 Wing played both a tactical and a strategic bombing role in the Borneo Campaign
Borneo campaign (1945)
The Borneo Campaign of 1945 was the last major Allied campaign in the South West Pacific Area, during World War II. In a series of amphibious assaults between 1 May and 21 July, the Australian I Corps, under General Leslie Morshead, attacked Japanese forces occupying the island. Allied naval and...
to free the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
from Japanese occupation, beginning with the lead-up to Operation Oboe One, the invasion of Tarakan
Battle of Tarakan (1945)
The Battle of Tarakan was the first stage in the Borneo campaign of 1945. It began with an amphibious landing by Australian forces on 1 May, code-named Operation Oboe One...
on 1 May 1945. During the month a detachment relocated from Fenton to Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
, attacking targets in Celebes
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
and Balikpapan
Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau , and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main...
prior to Operation Oboe Six, the invasion of Labuan
Battle of North Borneo
The Battle of North Borneo took place during the Second World War between Allied and Japanese forces. Part of the wider Borneo campaign of the Pacific War, it was fought between 10 June and 15 August 1945 in North Borneo...
. In June, while the final Allied offensive of the Borneo Campaign got under way as Operation Oboe Two, the Battle of Balikpapan
Battle of Balikpapan (1945)
The Battle of Balikpapan was the concluding stage of the Borneo campaign . The landings took place on 1 July 1945. The Australian 7th Division, composed of the 18th, 21st and 25th Infantry Brigades, with support troops, made an amphibious landing, codenamed Operation Oboe Two a few miles north of...
, the remainder of No. 82 Wing transferred from NWA to the command of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
Australian First Tactical Air Force
The Australian First Tactical Air Force was formed on 25 October 1944 by the Royal Australian Air Force . Its purpose was to provide a mobile force of fighter and ground attack aircraft that could support Allied army and naval units fighting the Empire of Japan in the South West Pacific Area...
in Morotai. In the middle of the month the wing dropped 120 tons of bombs on Balikpapan's oil fields and surrounding areas, as well as coastal defence sites. During July it bombed targets at Celebes and Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, losing five Liberators for the month. Just before the end of hostilities in the Pacific, the recently established garrison headquarters No. 11 Group
No. 11 Group RAAF
No. 11 Group was a Royal Australian Air Force group formed at Morotai in the last weeks of World War II to command the RAAF's garrison units in the region. The group was established at the end of July 1945, but was not yet fully active when the war ended on 14 August. It remained active at Morotai...
unofficially directed the wing's operations. Following the Japanese surrender in September 1945, No. 82 Wing's Liberators were converted to transports and used to repatriate RAAF personnel from the South West Pacific.
Cold War and after
No. 82 Wing moved to its present location at RAAF Base AmberleyRAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force base located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron , No. 33 Squadron and No. 36 Squadron...
, Queensland, in 1946. No. 482 (Maintenance) Squadron was formed in May that year to be responsible for repair and upkeep of the wing's aircraft. Its flying complement now included Nos. 12
No. 12 Squadron RAAF
No. 12 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force general purpose, bomber and transport squadron. The squadron was formed in 1939 and saw combat in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II. From 1941-1943, it mainly conducted maritime patrols off northern Australia...
(formerly of No. 85 Wing), 21, and 23 Squadrons, but these were renumbered Nos. 1
No. 1 Squadron RAAF
No. 1 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron based at RAAF Amberley. The squadron is currently being re-equipped with F/A-18F Super Hornet multi-role fighters.-World War I:...
, 2
No. 2 Squadron RAAF
No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. From its formation in 1916, it has operated a variety of aircraft types including fighters, bombers, and Airborne Early Warning & Control.-World War I:No...
and 6 Squadrons
No. 6 Squadron RAAF
No. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force training and bomber squadron. The squadron was first formed in 1917 and served as a training unit based in England during World War I. It was disbanded in 1919 but re-formed at the start of 1939...
respectively in February 1948. By this time the wartime Liberators had been replaced by Avro Lincoln
Avro Lincoln
The Avro Type 694, better known as the Avro Lincoln, was a British four-engined heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were known initially as the Lancaster IV and V, but were renamed Lincoln I and II...
heavy bombers. During 1949–50, some of the Lincolns were specially modified with advanced radar and other instrumentation to participate in Operation Cumulative, a joint program with the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
gathering long-range navigation and bombing data for use in potential air campaigns against the Soviet Union. From 1952 to 1956, the Lincolns flew observation flights in connection with British atomic tests in Australia
Operation Hurricane
Operation Hurricane was the test of the first British atomic device on 3 October 1952. A plutonium implosion device was detonated in the lagoon between the Montebello Islands, Western Australia....
.
In the 1950s and 60s, No. 82 Wing aircraft were heavily involved in overseas deployments. Between 1950 and 1958—for the first two years under the control of No. 90 (Composite) Wing—the Lincolns of No. 1 Squadron were tasked with the prime responsibility for the Commonwealth's bombing campaign against Communist insurgents during the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
. In December 1953, No. 82 Wing took delivery of the RAAF's first jet bomber, the Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
, which over the next five years re-equipped all three of the wing's squadrons. The new bombers were acquired partly for their capacity to deliver nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s, an ordnance option the RAAF seriously investigated but never implemented. Following the re-equipping of Nos. 2 and 6 Squadrons with the Canberra, a Lincoln Conversion Flight
Lincoln Conversion Flight RAAF
Lincoln Conversion Flight was a Royal Australian Air Force training unit. The flight was formed in July 1955 to provide operational conversion training on the Avro Lincoln heavy bomber and was disbanded in March the next year.-History:...
was formed in July 1955 under No. 82 Wing to provide training on the older bomber for crews preparing to deploy to Malaya for service with No. 1 Squadron; it disbanded in March 1956. Canberras from No. 2 Squadron relieved the Lincolns of No. 1 Squadron in Malaya during 1958, and saw extensive action in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
from 1967 to 1971. During the latter conflict they flew almost 12,000 sorties and delivered over 76,000 pounds of bombs, for the loss of two aircraft to enemy action. Between 1970 and 1973, while awaiting the delayed delivery of General Dynamics F-111C
General Dynamics F-111C
The General Dynamics F-111C is a variant of the F-111 Aardvark medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft, developed by General Dynamics to meet Australian requirements. The design was based on the F-111A model but included longer wings and strengthened undercarriage...
swing-wing
Swing-wing
A variable-sweep wing is an aeroplane wing that may be swept back and then returned to its original position during flight. It allows the aircraft's planform to be modified in flight, and is therefore an example of a variable-geometry aircraft....
bombers, Nos. 1 and 6 Squadrons flew leased F-4E Phantom
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
s, while No. 2 Squadron continued to operate the Canberra until disbanding in 1982. Though not as sophisticated an aircraft as the F-111, the Phantom was a significant advance over the Canberra, and highly regarded by its RAAF crews.
Pave Tack
The Ford Aerospace AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack is an electro-optical targeting pod developed by the United States Air Force for military attack aircraft. It uses a laser and a forward-looking infrared to find and designate targets for laser-guided bombs and other precision-guided weapons...
infra-red and laser-guided precision weapons targeting system, Harpoon anti-shipping missiles, and advanced digital avionics
Avionics
Avionics are electronic systems used on aircraft, artificial satellites and spacecraft.Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to meet individual roles...
. Roles within the wing were demarcated such that No. 1 Squadron was the lead strike unit, while No. 6 Squadron was primarily tasked with flying reconnaissance missions using specially modified RF-111Cs, and providing crew conversion training
Operational Conversion Unit
An Operational Conversion Unit is a unit within an air force whose role is to support preparation for the operational missions of a specific aircraft type by providing trained personnel. OCUs teach pilots how to fly an aircraft and which tactics best exploit the performance of their aircraft and...
. In 1992 an order was placed to augment the F-111 force with 15 ex-USAF
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
G models, operated by No. 6 Squadron. As "the region's pre-eminent strike aircraft", the F-111 has been described as the most important acquisition in the RAAF's history. The closest they came to being used in anger, however, was during the Australian-led INTERFET
INTERFET
The International Force for East Timor was a multinational peacekeeping taskforce, mandated by the United Nations to address the humanitarian and security crisis which took place in East Timor from 1999–2000 until the arrival of United Nations peacekeepers...
intervention into East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
in September 1999. Both F-111 squadrons were deployed to RAAF Base Tindal
RAAF Base Tindal
RAAF Base Tindal is a Royal Australian Air Force air base located near the town of Katherine in the Northern Territory. The base is currently home to No...
, Northern Territory, to support the international forces, and remained there until December. From 20 September, when INTERFET began to arrive in East Timor, the aircraft were maintained at a high level of readiness to conduct reconnaissance flights or air strikes if the situation deteriorated. In the event, INTERFET did not encounter significant resistance, and F-111 operations were limited to reconnaissance by the RF-111Cs from 5 November through 9 December.
No. 482 (Maintenance) Squadron merged with Amberley's No. 3 Aircraft Depot to form No. 501 Wing in December 1991, the squadron's disbandment taking pace in June the following year. From 2001, Boeing Australia
Boeing Australia
Boeing Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, or simply Boeing Australia, is Boeing's largest footprint outside the United States. Established in 2002, the company oversees its seven wholly owned subsidiaries, consolidating and co-ordinating Boeing’s businesses and operations in Australia.Boeing has played an...
performed all F-111 maintenance under a contract to the Federal government. In February 2002, No. 82 Wing came under the control of the newly established Air Combat Group
Air Combat Group RAAF
The Royal Australian Air Force's Air Combat Group 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...
(ACG), formed by merging Tactical Fighter Group and Strike Reconnaissance Group. The merger altered the wing's responsibilities, as it transferred lead-in training for the F-111s to No. 78 Wing
No. 78 Wing RAAF
No. 78 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's operational training wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, and operates the BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter. The wing was formed in 1943 and operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighters in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
at RAAF Base Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force base and headquarters to Australia's Tactical Fighter group. The base is located north of the coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wales in the Local Government Area of Port Stephens. The military base shares its runway facilities with...
, New South Wales, and put No. 82 Wing in charge of the strike capability of No. 81 Wing's
No. 81 Wing RAAF
No. 81 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's air superiority wing. Formed during World War II, it operated in the South West Pacific theatre, flying P-40 Kittyhawks. Following the end of hostilities, it converted to P-51 Mustangs and was based in Japan as part of the Allied occupational forces...
F/A-18 Hornets, also based at Williamtown. No. 82 Wing's role was reiterated as "precision strike and reconnaissance"; the Forward Air Control Development Unit
Forward Air Control Development Unit RAAF
The Forward Air Control Development Unit was a Royal Australian Air Force unit tasked with providing training in forward air control to RAAF pilots. It was formed in 2002 from No. 76 Squadron's C Flight and was merged with the RAAF Special Tactics Project on 3 July 2009 to form No. 4 Squadron....
(FACDU), flying Pilatus PC-9
Pilatus PC-9
The Pilatus PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop training aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland.-Design and development:...
s, was added to its strength. FACDU was merged with the RAAF Special Tactics Project in July 2009 to form No. 4 Squadron
No. 4 Squadron RAAF
No. 4 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron responsible for training forward air controllers. The squadron was previously a fighter and army co-operation unit active in both World War I and World War II.-World War I:...
. In 2007, the Australian Government decided to retire all of the F-111s by 2010, and acquire 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets as an "interim" replacement, pending the arrival of the under-development F-35 Lightning II
F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...
. No. 82 Wing began re-equipping with the Super Hornet in 2010, and the last F-111s were retired on 3 December that year. Also in 2010, the wing became home to No. 5 Flight
No. 5 Flight RAAF
No. 5 Flight is a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft flight which was raised in January 2010. It is located at RAAF Base Amberley and forms part of No. 82 Wing. The flight is responsible for preparing Australian Defence Force personnel to operate the detachment of two RAAF IAI Heron unmanned...
, which is responsible for training personnel to operate the RAAF's two IAI Heron
IAI Heron
The IAI Heron is a Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle developed by the Malat division of Israel Aerospace Industries. It is capable of Medium Altitude Long Endurance operations of up to 52 hours' duration at up to 35,000 feet...
unmanned aerial vehicles based at Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
in Afghanistan. In 2011 the RAAF acquired a third Heron, based in Australia and operated by No. 5 Flight for training purposes.