Air Force Bare Bases
The Royal Australian Air Force currently maintains three 'bare bases' in remote areas of northern Australia:
- RAAF Base Scherger, Weipa, Queensland
- RAAF Base Learmonth, Exmouth, Western Australia
- RAAF Base Curtin, Derby, Western Australia.
These bases were developed from as early as the 1950s to protect Australia by providing support for maritime, air and land operations aimed at securing our northern approaches.
As front-line bases, bare bases consist of essential airfield support infrastructure – such as runways, taxiways, parking areas and maintenance facilities – which are used when the base becomes operational. Some equipment and supplies are stored at the bare bases for use when the base is activated, however, the bases house only a few caretaker personnel on a regular basis.
A bare base is usually activated as part of a major Australian Defence Force exercise such as Exercises Pitch Black or Kakadu. Activating a bare base means that the base is brought to a fully operational state. To do this, Combat Support Group supplies the support required to set up the base and sustain the flying operations of the aircraft participating in the exercise. The activation of a bare base practices vital deployment procedures and sustainment of support requirements for the flying operations.