RAAF Base Williamtown
| RAAF Base Williamtown | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Characteristics | |
| ICAO code | YWLM |
| IATA code | NTL |
| Coordinates | |
| Height above MSL | 10 m (33 ft ) |
| Transport links | |
| Distance from the city center | 14 km north of Newcastle |
| Basic data | |
| opening | 1941 |
| operator | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Start-and runway | |
| 12/30 | 2438 m × 45 m asphalt |
RAAF Base Williamtown ( IATA : NTL , ICAO : YWLM ) is a military airfield of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) 14 km north of Newcastle in the state of New South Wales and west of the town of Williamtown of the same name . It is home to most of the Australian Air Force's Boeing F / A-18 Hornet and BAE Systems Hawk fighter jets . The former are currently being replaced by the Lockheed Martin F-35 . The military shares the runway with the civilian Newcastle Airport .
history
The RAAF Base Williamtown was opened on February 15, 1941 as a training base. A number of squadrons were initially set up for school purposes before they were deployed to various theaters of war. A training unit then remained at the site until April 1944.
After the Second World War , Williamtown became the main base of operations for Australian warplanes.
In 1985, Williamtown became the main base of operations for Australia's F / A-18A / B multi-role combat aircraft. First the retraining unit, 2nd Operational Conversion Unit (2nd OCU) received its first "Hornets" in May 1985. The two squadrons followed. The 3rd began its flight operations in August 1986 and the 77th Squadron followed in June 1987. The "Hornets" were used for over three decades. The 3rd season ceased flight operations in December 2017 and the 2nd OCU followed two years later.
To train air observers ("Forward Air Controllers"), the 4th Squadron operated several Pilatus PC-9s from 2009 to 2019 , which will be replaced in 2020 by the Pilatus PC-21s .
A year earlier, in December 2018, the first copies of the successor F-35A had already arrived in Williamtown.
Todays use
Williamtown is currently (2018) the main base of operations for the F / A-18 and in the future F-35A multi-role fighter aircraft, which are in service with three squadrons.
- 2. Operational Conversion Unit , retraining unit, equipped with F-35A, since December 2018
(* 3rd Squadron , F-35A squadron , since February 2018 temporarily on the hatch AFB)
- 77th Squadron , F / A-18A / B Squadron , since June 1987
There are also three other flying seasons.
- 76th Squadron , school squadron , equipped with Hawk 127, which can also be used as a light fighter, since October 2000
- 2nd Squadron , early warning and command team, equipped with Boeing 737 AEW & C , since November 2009
- 4th Squadron , school relay, planned to be equipped with Pilatus PC-21 , since 2020
In addition to the flying squadrons, the base houses a number of headquarters and other non-flying units, such as B. the Australian Defense Force Warfare Center and the Surveillance and Response Group . RAAF Base Williamtown is also home to Fighter World . The museum is dedicated to Australian fighter jets.
The base has a close connection with the city of Newcastle, which perhaps the Newcastle Jets football club best expresses it. Not only does it have the name Jet , but there are also three Hornet jets on the club crest.
future
The base will be home to the Lockheed Martin F-35 in a few years, probably from 2018 . The 3rd Squadron is to receive the new deployment pattern as the first season .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Australia approves more F-35s, ends classic Hornet pilot conversion, Janes, December 12, 2019
- ^ RAAF retires fleet of PC-9 / A training aircraft, Janes, December 12, 2019
- ^ RAAF PC-21 fleet complete, Shepard, December 9, 2019
- ↑ No 4 Squadron welcomes first PC-21s, Australian Defense, January 30, 2020
