List of current Royal Australian Air Force aircraft

This is a list of the current Royal Australian Air Force aircraft in operation:

Current aircraft

Heritage aircraft

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.^[14] 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.^[15]

Future acquisitions

• AIR 6000: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II multirole fighter^[16][17]
  • 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.

• AIR 7000: ADF Maritime ISR capability replacement^[18]
  • 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.
• AIR 5428: Pilot Training System^[19]
  • 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.^[20]
• 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.^[21] 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.^[21][22]
  • 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.^[23] 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

Notes

B ^ The aircraft are leased from the Canadian firm Macdonald Dettwiler and Associates.^[24] Training on the UAVs is provided by a third aircraft operated by No. 5 Flight RAAF.^[25]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force.

• Royal Australian Air Force website - Aircraft

This page was last edited on 11 May 2024, at 08:24