| RAAF Base Amberley | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| F-111 (left) and F/A-18F (right) | |||
| IATA: none – ICAO: YAMB | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Operator | RAAF | ||
| Location | Ipswich, Queensland | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 91 ft / 28 m | ||
| Coordinates | 27°38′26″S 152°42′43″E / 27.64056°S 152.71194°ECoordinates: 27°38′26″S 152°42′43″E / 27.64056°S 152.71194°E | ||
| Map | |||
  YAMB | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 04/22 | 1,523 | 4,997 | Concrete/Asphalt |
| 15/33 | 3,047 | 9,997 | Concrete/Asphalt |
| Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[1] | |||
RAAF Base Amberley (ICAO: YAMB) is a Royal Australian Air Force base located 8 km (5.0 mi) southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and 50 km (31 mi) southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron (operating the F/A-18F Super Hornet), No. 33 Squadron (taking delivery of the Airbus KC-30A) and No. 36 Squadron (operating the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III jet transport). Amberley is also home to Army units making up the 9th Force Support Battalion (9FSB). Amberley's largest squadron in terms of personnel is No. 382 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron RAAF (ECSS) providing both garrison and deployed combat support. Amberley was one of only two airfields in Australia (the other being Darwin International Airport) that were listed as a Transoceanic Abort (TOA) landing site for the Space Shuttle.[2]
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.
Amberley is currently undergoing a A$64 million dollar re-development program. By 2015 the RAAF hopes to have Amberley operating as its 'superbase' with flights of F/A-18F Super Hornets, F-35 Lightning II, KC-30A and C-17 Globemaster.
Units[]
| Unit | Full name | Force Element Group | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| HQ82WG | Headquarters No. 82 Wing | Air Combat Group | |
| 1SQN | No. 1 Squadron | Air Combat Group | F/A-18F |
| 6SQN | No. 6 Squadron | Air Combat Group | F/A-18F |
| No. 5 Flight | Air Combat Group | UAV training | |
| 278SQN DET AMB | No. 278 Squadron Detachment Amberley | Air Combat Group | |
| 33SQN | No. 33 Squadron | Air Lift Group | KC-30A |
| 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 | |
| 1ATS DET AMB | No. 1 Air Terminal Squadron Detachment Amberley (disbanded) | Combat Support Group | |
| HQAFDW | Headquarters Airfield Defence Wing | Combat Support Group | |
| 2AFDS | No. 2 Airfield Defence Squadron | Combat Support Group | |
| 3AFDS (Disbanded) | No. 3 Airfield Defence Squadron (Disbanded) | Combat Support Group | |
| HQHSW | Headquarters Health Services Wing | Combat Support Group | |
| 1EHS | No. 1 Expeditionary Health Squadron | Combat Support Group | |
| HQRTW | Headquarters Reserve Training Wing | Air Force Training Group | |
| 23SQN | No. 23 (City of Brisbane) Squadron | Combat Support Group | |
| RAAFSFS | RAAF Security and Fire School | Air Force Training Group | |
| HALSPO | Heavy Air Lift Systems Program Office | Defence Materiel Organisation | |
| SRSPO | Strike Reconnaissance Systems Program Office | Defence Materiel Organisation | |
| 9FSB | 9th Force Support Battalion | 17th Combat Service Support Brigade |
A F-111 taxiing past the aircraft shelters at RAAF Base Amberley
United States Army Air Force at Amberley[]
During World War II, the airfield became a major American Air Force base during 1942 and 1943. Known Fifth Air Force units assigned to "Amberley Field" were:
- 22d Bombardment Group, (7 March-7 April 1942) B-26 Marauder
- 38th Bombardment Group B-25 Mitchell (Headquarters 30 April-10 June 1942)
- 69th Bombardment Squadron, (30 April-20 May 1942)
- 70th Bombardment Squadron, (11 May-14 August 1942)
- 475th Fighter Group P-38 Lightning (Headquarters 14 May-14 August 1943)
- 431st Fighter Squadron, (1 July-14 August 1943)
- 432d Fighter Squadron, (11 June-14 August 1943)
- 433d Fighter Squadron, (17 June-14 August 1943)
In 1943, with the Allies advancing against the Empire of Japan in the southwest Pacific, American units moved north to forward airfields.
See also[]
- United States Army Air Forces in Australia (World War II)
- List of airports in Queensland
References[]
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- ↑ YAMB – Amberley (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 29 May 2014, Aeronautical Chart
- ↑ Space Shuttle Emergency Landing Sites
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.
External links[]
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