RAAF Air Command

Air Command
Active	1942–current
Country	Australia
Allegiance	Australian Defence Force
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Current location	RAAF Glenbrook
Motto(s)	Alert and Ready
Commanders
Current commander	Air Vice Marshal Melvin Hupfeld (Air Commander Australia)

Air Command is the operational arm of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). It is headed by the Air Commander Australia, whose role is to manage and command the RAAF's Force Element Groups (FEGs), which contain the operational capability of the Air Force. Headquarters Air Command is located at RAAF Base Glenbrook.

Air Command consists of the following FEGs:

• Air Lift Group
• Air Combat Group
• Surveillance and Response Group
• Combat Support Group
• Aerospace Operational Support Group
• Air Force Training Group

The Commander is responsible for all operational Air Force tasks, and reports to the Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS). Similar arrangements exist with Commander Forces Command (Australian Army) and Commander Australian Fleet (Royal Australian Navy).

Air Command has a critical strategic role both in peace time and war time. It works closely with Air Force Training Group (formerly RAAF Training Command) and the Australian Defence Force's Joint Logistics Command in developing and maintaining the nation's defence capabilities.

Appointees

Air Command has undergone a number of changes since its formation in May 1942, both in name and location. The following table lists those Air Force officers who have been appointed to lead the Command and its headquarters in its various incarnations.

Note: The official title of each group of Commanders is listed immediately after the name of the Command.

Rank	Name	Post- Nominals	Period
HQ Eastern Area Command (Air Officers Commanding)
Air Vice Marshal	Anderson, WilliamWilliam Anderson	CBE, DFC	1942 – 1943
Air Commodore	Charlesworth, Alan MoorhouseAlan Moorhouse Charlesworth	CBE, AFC	1943 – 1944
Air Commodore	Lukis, Francis William FellowesFrancis William Fellowes Lukis	CBE	1945 – 1946
Air Commodore	Lachal, Leon VictorLeon Victor Lachal	CBE	1946 – 1947
Air Vice Marshal	Bladin, Francis MassonFrancis Masson Bladin	CBE	1947 – 1948
Air Vice Marshal	McCauley, John Patrick JosephJohn Patrick Joseph McCauley	CB, CBE	1949 – 1953
HQ Home Command (Air Officers Commanding)
Air Vice Marshal	McCauley, John Patrick JosephJohn Patrick Joseph McCauley	CB, CBE	1953 – 1954
Air Vice Marshal	Walters, Allan LeslieAllan Leslie Walters	CB, CBE, AFC	1954 – 1957
Air Vice Marshal	Candy, Charles DouglasCharles Douglas Candy	CB, CBE	1958 – 1959
HQ Operational Command (Air Officers Commanding)
Air Vice Marshal	Hancock, Valston EldridgeValston Eldridge Hancock	CB, CBE, DFC	1959 – 1961
Air Vice Marshal	Headlam, FrankFrank Headlam	CB, CBE	1961 – 1962
Air Vice Marshal	Murdoch, Alister MurrayAlister Murray Murdoch	CB, CBE	1962 – 1965
Air Vice Marshal	Hannah, Colin ThomasColin Thomas Hannah	CB, CBE	1965 – 1967
Air Vice Marshal	Hennock, Keith SelwynKeith Selwyn Hennock	CB, CBE	1967 – 1969
Air Vice Marshal	Townsend, William EdwinWilliam Edwin Townsend	CB, CBE	1969 – 1973
Air Vice Marshal	Eaton, Brian AlexanderBrian Alexander Eaton	CB, CBE, DSO and Bar, DFC	1973
Air Vice Marshal	Robey, Frederick StephenFrederick Stephen Robey	AO, CBE	1974 – 1978
Air Vice Marshal	Adams, John IrwinJohn Irwin Adams	CBE, DFC, AFC	1978 – 1980
Air Vice Marshal	Ridgway, Michael JohnMichael John Ridgway	AFC	1980 – 1981
Air Vice Marshal	Law, Russell NoelRussell Noel Law		1981 – 1984
Air Vice Marshal	Reynolds, Bernard JohnBernard John Reynolds	AM	1984 – 1985
Air Vice Marshal	Radford, Edward ArundelEdward Arundel Radford	AO	1985 – 1987
Air Headquarters Australia (Air Commanders Australia)
Air Vice Marshal	Radford, Edward ArundelEdward Arundel Radford	AO	1987 – 1990
Air Vice Marshal	Gration, Ian BarringtonIan Barrington Gration	AO, AFC	1990 – 1992
Air Vice Marshal	Beck, Gary John JamesGary John James Beck	AO	1992 – 1996
Air Vice Marshal	Nicholson, Peter GervasePeter Gervase Nicholson	AO	1996 – 1996
Headquarters Air Command (Air Commanders Australia)
Air Vice Marshal	Nicholson, Peter GervasePeter Gervase Nicholson	AO	1996 – 1998
Air Vice Marshal	Titheridge, Alan WilliamAlan William Titheridge	AM	1998 – 1999
Air Vice Marshal	Criss, Peter JohnPeter John Criss	AM, AFC	1999 – 2000
Air Vice Marshal	Kindler, John WalterJohn Walter Kindler	AO, AFC	2000 – 2003
Air Vice Marshal	Shepherd, Geoffrey DavidGeoffrey David Shepherd	AM	2003 – 2005
Air Vice Marshal	Quaife, Alfred JohnAlfred John Quaife	AM	2005 – 2007
Air Vice Marshal	Binskin, Mark DonaldMark Donald Binskin	AM	2007 – 2008
Air Vice Marshal	Skidmore, Mark AlanMark Alan Skidmore	AM	2008 – 2012
Air Vice Marshal	Hupfeld, Melvin Ernest GlanvilleMelvin Ernest Glanville Hupfeld	DSC	2012 –

References

• "Air Command". Royal Australian Air Force. http://www.airforce.gov.au/structure/aircommand.aspx.