RAAF Base Amberley

RAAF Base Amberley
Ipswich, Queensland in Australia
A F-111 (since retired) and F/A-18F (right)
RAAF Base Amberley
YAMB
Location in Queensland
Coordinates 27°38′26″S 152°42′43″E / 27.64056°S 152.71194°E / -27.64056; 152.71194
Type Military airbase
Area 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres)
Site information
Owner Department of Defence
Operator  Royal Australian Air Force
Site history
Built June 1940 (1940-06)
In use June 1940 (1940-06) – present
Garrison information
Occupants
Airfield information
Identifiers ICAO: YAMB
Elevation 28 metres (91 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
04/22 1,523 metres (4,997 ft) Concrete/Asphalt
15/33 3,047 metres (9,997 ft) Concrete/Asphalt
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[1]

RAAF Base Amberley (ICAO: YAMB) is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military airbase located 8 km (5.0 mi) southwest of Ipswich, Queensland in Australia and 50 km (31 mi) southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron (operating the F/A-18F Super Hornet), No. 33 Squadron (taking delivery of the Airbus KC-30A) and No. 36 Squadron (operating the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III jet transport). Amberley is also home to Army units making up the 9th Force Support Battalion (9 FSB). Located on 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres), RAAF Amberley is the largest operational base in the RAAF, employing over 5,000 uniformed and civilian personnel.[2] There are a variety of other formations on the base such as training colleges and maintenance areas. Amberley's largest squadron in terms of personnel is No. 382 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron RAAF (ECSS) providing both garrison and deployed combat support. Amberley was one of only two airfields in Australia (the other being Darwin International Airport) that were listed as a Transoceanic Abort (TOA) landing site for the Space Shuttle.[3] Amberley is currently undergoing a A$64 million dollar re-development program. The RAAF has plans to have Amberley operating as its "superbase" with flights of F/A-18F Super Hornets, F-35 Lightning II, KC-30A, C-17 Globemaster. No. 35 Squadron (Operating C-27J Spartan) is planned to move to the base from RAAF Base Richmond after it is fully equipped with the C-27J.

History

The need for a RAAF base in Brisbane was identified in the 1930s. 882 acres (357 ha) of land near Ipswich was gazetted for defence purposes on 12 December 1938. The base was initially planned to house a general purpose squadron with 300 officers and men. At the outbreak of World War II the handful of brick buildings were still incomplete and many extra buildings were constructed quickly using wood and fibro. The base opened in June 1940 with the first unit based there being No. 24 Squadron. From May 1942 the base changed roles from flying operations to mainly assembly and repair of aircraft.

United States Army Air Force base

The base was a major United States Army Air Forces base during 1942 and 1943. Known Fifth Air Force units assigned to "Amberley Field" were:

UnitAircraftAssignedReassignedTime at AmberleyNotes
22d Bombardment GroupB-26 Marauder7 March 19427 April 194231 days
38th Bombardment Group, HeadquartersB-25 Mitchell30 April 194210 June 194241 days
69th Bombardment SquadronB-26 Marauder20 May 194220 days
70th Bombardment Squadron11 May 194214 August 19431 year, 95 days
475th Fighter Group, HeadquartersP-38 Lightning14 May 19421 year, 92 days
431st Fighter Squadron1 July 194344 days
432d Fighter Squadron11 June 194364 days
433d Fighter Squadron17 June 194358 days

The US facilities were transferred to Australia in 1947.[4] After the war it became the base for the RAAF's heavy bombers operated by No. 1, No. 2 and No. 6 squadrons. The reserve No. 23 (City of Brisbane) Squadron relocated from RAAF Station Archerfield to Amberley in 1955.

In 1965, the US extended a "Joint Research Program for Measuring the Physical Effects of Disturbances in the Atmosphere or in Space with particular emphasis on their effect on Radio Communications" from RAAF Base Pearce to the base at Amberley.[5]

Current units

UnitFull nameForce Element GroupAircraftNotes
HQ82WGHeadquarters No. 82 WingAir Combat Group
1SQNNo. 1 SquadronAir Combat GroupF/A-18F
6SQNNo. 6 SquadronAir Combat GroupEA-18G
No. 5 FlightSurveillance and Response GroupUAV training
278SQN DET AMBNo. 278 Squadron Detachment AmberleyAir Combat Group
33SQNNo. 33 SquadronAir Mobility GroupKC-30A
36SQNNo. 36 SquadronAir Mobility GroupC-17 Globemaster III
452SQN AMB FLTNo. 452 Squadron Amberley FlightSurveillance and Response Group
HQCSGHeadquarters Combat Support GroupCombat Support Group
HQ 95WGHeadquarters No. 95 WingCombat Support Group
1CCS AMB FLTNo. 1 Combat Communications Squadron Amberley FlightCombat Support Group
382SQNNo. 382 Squadron (Contingency Response Squadron)Combat Support Group
1ATS DET AMBNo. 1 Air Terminal Squadron Detachment Amberley (disbanded)Combat Support Group
HQAFDWHeadquarters Airfield Defence WingCombat Support Group
2AFDSNo. 2 Airfield Defence SquadronCombat Support Group
3AFDS (Disbanded)No. 3 Airfield Defence Squadron (Disbanded)Combat Support Group
HQ 96WGHeadquarters No. 96 WingCombat Support Group
23SQN No. 23 (City of Brisbane) SquadronCombat Support Group
HQHSWHeadquarters Health Services WingCombat Support Group
1EHSNo. 1 Expeditionary Health SquadronCombat Support Group
HQRTWHeadquarters Reserve Training WingAir Force Training Group
RAAFSFSRAAF Security and Fire SchoolAir Force Training Group
HALSPOHeavy Air Lift Systems Program OfficeDefence Materiel Organisation
SRSPOStrike Reconnaissance Systems Program OfficeDefence Materiel Organisation
9 FSB9th Force Support Battalion17th Combat Service Support Brigade
ARDUAircraft Research and Development Unit Detachment AmberleyAerospace Operational Support Group

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

  1. ↑ YAMB – Amberley (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 01 March 2018, Aeronautical Chart
  2. ↑ "RAAF Base Amberley" (PDF). Department of Defence. Australian Government. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  3. ↑ Pike, John. "Space Shuttle Emergency Landing Sites". www.globalsecurity.org.
  4. ↑ "Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the United States of America concerning Aerodrome Facilities. ATS 4 of 1947."". Australian Treaty Series. Australasian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  5. ↑ "Exchange of Notes constituting an Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the United States of America regarding a Joint Research Program for Measuring the Physical Effects of Disturbances in the Atmosphere or in Space with particular emphasis on their effect on Radio Communications. ATS 4 of 1965". Australian Treaties Library. Australasian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

Further reading

  • Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
  • Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.

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