RAAF Base Amberley

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.

RAAF Base Amberley
Ipswich, Queensland in Australia
A RAAF C-17 Globemaster III taking off from RAAF Base Amberley, with KC-30 and F/A-18F aircraft in the background
RAAF Base Amberley
YAMB
Location in Queensland
Coordinates27°38′26″S 152°42′43″E
TypeMilitary airbase
Area1,600 hectares (4,000 acres)
Site information
OwnerDepartment of Defence
Operator Royal Australian Air Force
Site history
BuiltJune 1940 (1940-06)
In useJune 1940 (1940-06) – present
Garrison information
Occupants
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: YAMB
Elevation28 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]

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 1942 (1942-03-07)7 April 1942 (1942-04-07)31 days
38th Bombardment Group, HeadquartersB-25 Mitchell30 April 1942 (1942-04-30)10 June 1942 (1942-06-10)41 days
69th Bombardment SquadronB-26 Marauder20 May 1942 (1942-05-20)20 days
70th Bombardment Squadron11 May 1942 (1942-05-11)14 August 1943 (1943-08-14)1 year, 95 days
475th Fighter Group, HeadquartersP-38 Lightning14 May 1942 (1942-05-14)1 year, 92 days
431st Fighter Squadron1 July 1943 (1943-07-01)44 days
432d Fighter Squadron11 June 1943 (1943-06-11)64 days
433d Fighter Squadron17 June 1943 (1943-06-17)58 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

The following units are based at RAAF Base Amberley:[6][7][8]

Royal Australian Air Force
UnitFull nameForce Element GroupAircraftNotes
HQ82WGHeadquarters No. 82 WingAir Combat Group
1SQNNo. 1 SquadronAir Combat GroupF/A-18F
6SQNNo. 6 SquadronAir Combat GroupEA-18G
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
382SQNNo. 382 Squadron (Contingency Response Squadron)Combat Support Group
295SQNNo 295 Squadron (Training and Standards)Combat Support Group
1CCS DET AMBNo. 1 Combat Communications Squadron Detachment AmberleyCombat Support Group
2 SECFORHeadquarters No. 2 Security Forces SquadronCombat Support Group
HQ 96WGHeadquarters No. 96 WingCombat Support Group
23SQNNo. 23 (City of Brisbane) SquadronCombat Support Group
HQHSWHeadquarters Health Services WingCombat Support Group
1EHSHeadquarters No. 1 Expeditionary Health SquadronCombat Support Group
3AMES DET AMBNo 3 Aero-medical Evacuation Squadron Detachment AmberleyCombat Support Group
HOCUHealth Operational Conversion UnitCombat Support Group
RAAFSFSRAAF Security and Fire SchoolAir Force Training Group
HALSPOHeavy Air Lift Systems Program OfficeDefence Materiel Organisation
SRSPOStrike Reconnaissance Systems Program OfficeDefence Materiel Organisation
ARDUAircraft Research and Development Unit Detachment AmberleyAerospace Operational Support Group
Australian Army
6 ESR6th Engineer Support Regiment (except 20 EOD Sqn)6th Brigade
9 FSB9th Force Support Battalion (except 176 AD Sqn)17th Sustainment Brigade

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 21 May 2020, 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.
  6. Nelson, Laraine; McAuley, Joanne (2019). The heritage values of RAAF Base Amberley : from Hornet Moth to Super Hornet (PDF). Canberra: Defence Publishing. ISBN 9781925890051. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  7. Department of Defence (March 2015). 17th Construction Squadron Relocation Infrastructure Project - RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland - Statement of Evidence (Report). Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  8. "RAAF Base Amberley". Royal Australian Air Force. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

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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