RAAF Base Amberley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

RAAF Base Amberley
IATA: N/A - ICAO: YAMB
Summary
Airport type Military
Operator RAAF
Serves Ipswich, Queensland
Elevation AMSL 91 ft (29.8 m)
Coordinates 27°38′24″S, 152°42′42″E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
04/22 4,997 1,523 Concrete & asphalt
15/33 9,997 3,047 Concrete & asphalt

RAAF Base Amberley (ICAO: YAMB)is a Royal Australian Air Force base located 8 km southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and 50 km southwest of Brisbane, Queensland. It is currently home to No. 1 and No. 6 Squadrons (operating the General Dynamics F-111), No. 36 Squadron (operating the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III jet transport) and No. 38 Squadron (operating the DHC-4 Caribou). Amberley's largest squadron in terms of personnel is No. 23 (City of Brisbane) Squadron, an RAAF Active Reserve Squadron. Amberley is one of only two airfields in Australia (the other being Darwin International Airport) that is listed as an emergency landing site for the Space Shuttle[1].

Contents

[edit] Location

RAAF Amberley is the largest operational base in the Air Force, employing approximately 3,500 uniformed and civilian personnel. There are a variety of other formations on the base such as training colleges and maintenance areas. The base is also a landing site for the Space Shuttle program.

Amberley is currently undergoing a $64 million dollar re-development program. By 2015 the RAAF hopes to have Amberley operating as its 'superbase' with flights of F/A-18 Super Hornets, F-35 Lightning II, A330- Multi-role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and C-17 Globemaster.

[edit] Climate

Amberley Air Force Base enjoys good weather almost all year round. There is generally a humid summer and a relatively dry, windy winter period. Amberley experiences thunderstorms during summer and fogs during winter. Showers and rain events can occur at any time of the year. Average temperatures range from 20 to 31 degrees Celsius in the summer, and 6 to 21 degrees Celsius in the winter.

[edit] Units

UNIT    FULL NAME    FEG    AIRCRAFT   
HQ82WG Headquarters No. 82 Wing Air Combat Group
1SQN No. 1 Squadron Air Combat Group F-111
6SQN No. 6 Squadron Air Combat Group F-111
278SQN DET AMB No. 278 Squadron Detachment Amberley Air Combat Group
36SQN No. 36 Squadron Air Lift Group C-17 Globemaster III
44WG DET AMB No. 44 Wing Detachment Amberley Surveillance and Response Group
HQCSG Headquarters Combat Support Group Combat Support Group
382ECSS No. 382 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron Combat Support Group
383ECSS No. 383 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron Combat Support Group
1ATS DET AMB No. 1 Air Terminal Squadron Detachment Amberley Combat Support Group
HQAFDW Headquarters Airfield Defence Wing Combat Support Group
2AFDS No. 2 Airfield Defence Squadron Combat Support Group
3AFDS No. 3 Airfield Defence Squadron Combat Support Group
HQHSW Headquarters Health Services Wing Combat Support Group
1ATHS No. 1 Air Transportable Health Squadron Combat Support Group
CSU-AMB Combat Support Unit - Amberley Combat Support Group
23SQN No. 23 (City of Brisbane) Squadron Air Force Training Group
RAAFSFS RAAF Security and Fire School Air Force Training Group

[edit] External links

[edit] References

Australian military stub This Australian Military article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.