Tactical Transport Group RAAF

Tactical Transport Group was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) group. It was established on 1 June 1988 as part of a broad-ranging reform of the RAAF's organisation.[1]

The group commanded the RAAF units which were primarily responsible for providing tactical airlift for the Australian Army. These included No. 5 Squadron with Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters, No. 9 Squadron, which was equipped with Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk helicopters, No. 12 Squadron with Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters, No. 35 Squadron which operated both Iroquois helicopters and de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou fixed-wing aircraft and No. 38 Squadron which also operated Caribous.[2][3]

At the time that Tactical Transport Group was formed the RAAF was in the process of preparing to transfer its helicopters to the Army. This change took place over 1989. No. 9 Squadron was disbanded on 14 February that year, with its helicopters and personnel becoming the 5th Aviation Regiment.[4] No. 12 Squadron's Chinooks were withdrawn from service on 30 June and the squadron was disbanded on 25 August.[5] On 5 December No. 35 Squadron transferred its Iroquois to the Army.[6] No. 5 Squadron's Iroquois were also transferred to the Army during 1989, and the unit was absorbed into the Australian Defence Force Helicopter School on 9 December.[7][8]

The Tactical Transport Group was disbanded in February 1991. The two squadrons equipped with Caribous became part of the Air Lift Group.[1]