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RAAF

August

A fighter jet lands on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea.

Talks sanction more US bombers, fighter jets, spy planes in Australia

Annual defence and foreign affairs talks will see Australia deepen its role as the US’s “unsinkable aircraft carrier” in a potential conflict with China.

  • Andrew Tillett and Matthew Cranston
A Royal Australian Air Force FA-18F Super Hornet aircraft departs RAAF Base Darwin for a night flying mission as part of Exercise Pitch Black 2024.

Top Gun games pull the trigger on deterrence

Exercise Pitch Black has pulled together air forces from 20 nations for practice missions over northern Australia as concern rises about collaboration between China and Russia.

  • Andrew Tillett

July

A US-made Patriot missile is test fired at Queensland’s Shoalwater Bay military training area.

Air force officials rebuff concerns over slow pace of missile defence

Military experts have warned Australia is not moving quickly enough to be able to defend itself against missile strikes amid lessons from Ukraine and Israel.

  • Andrew Tillett

June

Austal’s board of directors isn’t playing fair, according to the Hanwha camp,

Hanwha tussles with Austal board over ‘unfair’ diligence conditions

Austal’s would-be acquirer reckons that its third indicative bid was at least 15 per cent higher than that of Cerberus Capital Management. 

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport

May

An RNZAF Hercules C-130 takes off from Whenuapai airbase near Auckland on Tuesday bound for Noumea, New Caledonia, on a mercy mission to rescue stranded New Zealand tourists.

First Aussies home from riot-hit New Caledonia after RAAF rescue

French authorities have given permission for evacuation flights to take off and land in Noumea.

  • Andrew Tillett
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April

A RAAF No.1 Squadron F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Navy, RAAF face cuts to pay for $330b in new weapons

While the government touts its $330 billion new weapons blueprint, concerns are being raised about programs that have been scrapped.

  • Andrew Tillett

February

RAAF EA-18G Growlers give Australia superior electronic warfare capability.

Labor must face up to the reality of defence costs

The war in the corridors of Canberra has echoes around the world as Western politicians are forced to take defence seriously for the first time in years.

  • The AFR View

January

An RAAF pilot on a training exercise.

Ukraine to Australia: ‘We don’t want your flying trash’

During two years of war, Australia and Ukraine have struggled to get beyond mutual incomprehension.

  • Aaron Patrick

December 2023

C-27J at Rockhampton airport.

Cracks ground RAAF planes as bushfire season looms

Fissures have been found where the tail fins join fuselages on some C-27J Spartan aircraft operated around the world.

  • Andrew Tillett

November 2023

An F-16 Fighting Falcon. The number of prime contractors for fixed-wing aircraft has declined from eight to three.

Can US weapons makers adapt to 21st century warfare?

Traditional suppliers are facing competition as big tech muscles in on the action and targets defence and security as promising markets.

  • The Economist

September 2023

A Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton drone in flight.

Triton drone purchase to boost northern defences

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has announced $1.5 billion in new spending to boost maritime and air protections.

  • Tom McIlroy
A United States Army MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile.

‘Living inside a bubble’: Australia edges towards missile shield

Amid rising tensions with China, the Albanese government has with little fanfare bought the “brains” for an integrated missile and air defence system.

  • Andrew Tillett

August 2023

National cyber security co-ordinator Darren Goldie is in the process of establishing the way his role will work.

Medibank, Optus hacks hurt, but Aussies still at risk

The country’s cybersecurity coordinator Darren Goldie says protecting against hacks needs to become integral to people’s lives and the way businesses operate.

  • Max Mason

June 2023

A Ukrainian tank fires in Chasiv Yar, the site of fierce battles with the Russian forces this week.

This is no time to become gun-shy about backing Kyiv

Ukraine has become a real-world experiment in protecting vulnerable democracies. But defence bureaucrats everywhere have made haste too slowly.

  • Andrew Tillett
The retired F/A-18s are sitting in a hangar at the Williamtown RAAF base north of Newcastle.

RAAF Hornet jets ‘better in a war zone than a museum’

Canberra did not dismiss the prospect of transferring retired fighter jets to Ukraine, as military experts say they could be useful amid signs of a counter-offensive.

  • Andrew Tillett
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The retired F/A-18s are sitting in a hangar at the Williamtown RAAF base north of Newcastle.

Into the Hornets’ nest: why these old jets make sense for Ukraine

The RAAF’s retired fleet of F/A-18s may be old but the classic Hornet can be used for both dogfighting and launching air strikes.

  • Andrew Tillett
The retired F/A-18s are sitting in a hangar at the Williamtown RAAF base outside Newcastle.

Retired RAAF fighter jets could be sent to Ukraine

Australia, the US and Ukraine are discussing sending 41 Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 Hornets to Kyiv, rather than sending them to the scrapheap as planned.

  • Phillip Coorey and Andrew Tillett

April 2023

To accommodate the review recommendations, the defence budget, will require $19 billion over the next four years, all of which will be offset by cuts elsewhere in defence.

Defence rejig costs budget $19b and rising

More than 30 projects will be cut to save $7.8 billion and help fund a $19 billion increase in defence spending over the next four years.

  • Phillip Coorey

March 2023

Readiness has been hampered by a lack of spare parts as well as parts and engine components breaking more frequently than anticipated.

Pentagon says only half of Its F-35 jet fleet is mission-ready

The percentage of planes capable of flying all their missions – the so-called full mission capable rate – was less than 30 per cent.

  • Tony Capaccio
An F/A-18 takes off on a mission during the East Coast Air Defence Exercise (ECADEX 05). Deep caption The East Coast Air Defence Exercise (ECADEX) is an important training activity for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). ECADEX 05 spanned three weeks of intensive training from Wednesday 26 October to Wednesday 9 November 2005. It is a vital training exercise for Air Force personnel in order to maintain operational capacity and to practise key defence skills. The exercise provided an opportunity for Air Force personnel to practise their skills at maintaining the integrity of Australian air space and protecting vital infrastructure, such as a shipping port or an airfield. The majority of the aircraft assets and personnel engaged in ECADEX 05 operated out of their home bases at RAAF Williamtown (NSW) and RAAF Amberley (QLD). F-111 strike aircraft based at RAAF Base Amberley formed part of the “Red” enemy forces flying out of Amberley, with F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft deployed from RAAF Base Tindal. Hawk and F/A-18 Hornet aircraft flew out of RAAF Base Williamtown to form the “Blue” friendly forces. .

Australia has 40 FA-18s, we should give them to Ukraine

One way Australia can have a decisive influence over the outcome of the war is to give Ukraine the retired Hornet fighters it still owns and has failed to sell.

  • Aaron Patrick

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/royal-australian-air-force-1mok