| Royal Australian Air Force | |
|---|---|
 The RAAF Ensign | |
| Founded | 31 March 1921 |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Size | 15,430 personnel, 284 aircraft (2006) |
| Part of | Australian Defence Force |
| Air Force Headquarters | Canberra |
| Motto | Per Ardua ad Astra ('Through Struggle to the Stars') |
| Mascot | Kangaroo |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of Air Force | Air Marshal Mark Binskin |
| Deputy Chief of Air Force | Air Vice Marshal Geoff Brown |
| Air Commander Australia | Air Vice Marshal Mark Skidmore |
| Notable commanders | Sir Richard Williams |
| Insignia | |
| RAAF badge |  |
| RAAF roundel |  |
| RAAF low visibility roundel |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Bomber | F-111 Aardvark |
| Electronic warfare | Boeing 737 AEW&C |
| Fighter | F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18F Super Hornet |
| Patrol | AP-3C Orion |
| Reconnaissance | RF-111, Heron UAV |
| Trainer | PC-9, Hawk 127, B300 |
| Transport | C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, Boeing 737, B300, Challenger 600 |
Aircraft
As of 2010, the following aircraft are operated by the RAAF:
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter Aircraft | |||||||||
| McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet |  USA Australia | Fighter/Attack | 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[citation needed]. They will be replaced by 100 F-35 Lightning II. | ||||
| F/A-18F Super Hornet | USA | Fighter/Attack | F/A-18F | 11 | 24 F/A-18F aircraft will help avoid a gap in the Australian Air Force strike capability, between the retirement of the F-111 in 2010 and delivery of the F-35A. The F/A-18F Super Hornets will enter service from the end of 2010. The RAAF's first five Super Hornets arrived at their home base, RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland, on 26 March 2010, with the second batch of six arrived on 6 July 2010. | ||||
| Strike/Reconnaissance | |||||||||
| General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark | USA | Strike | Total F-111C RF-111C | 21 17 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). These aircraft are due to be retired in 2010. 24 F/A-18F have been selected as an interim replacement. | ||||
| Trainer | |||||||||
| BAE Systems Hawk |  UK | Lead-in Fighter Trainer | Hawk 127 | 33 | Fighter jet conversion trainer. | ||||
| Pilatus PC-9 |  Switzerland Australia | Advanced Trainer | PC-9 | 65 | Produced under licence in Australia by de Havilland Australia. | ||||
| Beechcraft Super King Air | USA | Navigational Trainer | B350 | 8 | |||||
| Airborne Early Warning & Control | |||||||||
| Boeing 737 AEW&C | Australia | Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) | Total 737 AEW&C To Deliver | 6 2 4 | 2 of the 737 AEW&C have been delivered (26/11/2009) and another 4 to be delivered over 2010/2011 | ||||
| Aerial Refueling | |||||||||
| Airbus A330 MRTT |  EU | Aerial Refueling (AAR) | Total KC-30A To Deliver | 5 0 5 | Aircraft currently undergoing final integration checks of the refuelling system prior to entry into service | ||||
| Maritime Patrol | |||||||||
| AP-3C Orion | USA | Maritime Patrol/Strike | Total AP-3C P-3C | 21 18 3 | All aircraft to be withdrawn by 2018. Will probably be replaced by 8 Boeing P-8 Poseidon and 7 large UAVs. | ||||
| UAV | |||||||||
| IAI Heron |  Israel Canada | Reconnaissance/Surveillance | Heron 1 | 2 | Long term lease agreement with Canada. | ||||
| Transport | |||||||||
| Boeing Business Jet | USA | VIP transport | 737–700 BBJ | 2 | Long term lease, transport for government leaders and senior executives travelling on official business | ||||
| Boeing C-17 Globemaster III | USA | Strategic Transport | C-17 | 4 |  | ||||
| Bombardier Challenger 600 | Canada | VIP transport | CL 604 | 3 | |||||
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules | USA | Transport | C-130H | 8 | 4 have been retired.[19] | ||||
| Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules | USA | Transport | C-130J | 12 |  | ||||
| Beechcraft Super King Air | USA | Light Transport | B350 | 3 | Interim replacement for Caribou transports, transferred from Army Aviation. | ||||
Small arms
- L9A1/L9A3 Self Loading Pistol (Browning Hi-Power)
- Glock 19 Jet Aircrew Pistol
- Heckler & Koch MP5 Sub-Machine Gun
- Remington 870 shotgun
- F88 Austeyr rifle (Steyr AUG)
- SR-98 Sniper Rifle
- F89 Light Support Weapon (Minimi)
- MAG58 General Service Machine Gun
- M203 grenade launcher
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) — are scheduled to be delivered from 2014. In a first stage not fewer than 72 aircraft will be acquired to equip three operational squadrons. 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 AUD3.2 billion with deliveries to begin in 2014.
- 24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets of which half will be wired to allow possible later conversion to the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft. The 24 F/A-18F aircraft will help avoid a gap in the Australian Air Force strike capability, between the retirement of the F-111 in 2010 and delivery of the F-35A. The F/A-18F Super Hornets will enter service from the end of 2010.
- Eight Maritime patrol aircraft to replace Lockheed AP-3C Orions. Australia is participating in the development of the Boeing P-8 Poseidon to fill this role, but has not committed to purchase the aircraft.
- Seven large high-altitude, long-endurance UAVs to expand the surveillance of Australia's maritime approaches.
- Six Boeing Project Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft, including another single aircraft optioned, entering service in 2011.
- Five Airbus KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transports — to replace the dated Boeing 707s in aerial refueling and strategic transport roles entering service in 2010.
- 10 light tactical fixed-wing aircraft to replace the DHC-4 Caribou aircraft
- Two additional Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules aircraft
- Replacement aircraft for PC-9 training aircraft under Project AIR 5428, with a decision due between 2012–2015. Contenders include the Pilatus PC-21.
Procurement review
The Labor government made a pledge to review the procurement of both the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and the F/A-18F Super Hornet as part of a review of overall defence procurement. The then defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon made clear that "no option would be ruled out". This includes the possibility of purchasing the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. On 17 March 2008 Fitzgibbon confirmed that Australia would purchase 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets.
However, the Howard government ruled out purchase of the F-22, on the grounds that it is unlikely to be released for export, and does not have sufficient ground/maritime strike capacity. This assessment was supported by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, a non-partisan, government-funded think-tank, which claimed that the F-22 "has insufficient multi-role capability at too high a price."
The US Congress upheld the ban on F-22 Raptor foreign sales during a joint conference on 27 September 2006. After talks in Washington in December 2006, the US DoD reported the F-22 would not be available for foreign sale.
Following the victory of the Australian Labor Party in the 2007 national election, the new government ordered a review of plans to procure the F-35 Lightning II and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. This review will include an evaluation of the F-22's suitability for Australia; moreover, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has stated: "I intend to pursue American politicians for access to the Raptor". In February 2008, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he had no objection to sale of the Raptor to Australia, but Congress would have to change the law.
In August 2008 reports in the press indicated that the RAAF is considering to purchase Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft to complement the new F model purchases. Up to 12 Growlers are being considered. In February 2009 it was announced by the Australian Defence Minister that half of the proposed 24 Boeing F/A-18Fs being built for Australia, 12 will be additionally "wired" to provide the capability of being readily converted to electronic warfare/support aircraft, similar to EA-18G standard, without the costs involved with purchasing and maintaining a dedicated fleet of electronic warfare aircraft.
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