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Air Lift Group

Air Lift Group is one of the largest Force Element Groups within Air Force. Air Lift Group operates six aircraft types from three separate RAAF Bases and from Defence Establishment Fairbairn in Canberra.
 
It was formed in February 1987 and is responsible for providing the Australian Defence Force's combat air mobility capability, which comprises the following roles:
  • air logistics support
  • airborne operations
  • special operations
  • VIP transport
  • air-to-air refuelling
  • search and survivor assistance
  • aeromedical evacuation
  • training
It directly controls Nos 84 and 86 Wings and the Air Mobility Control Centre from its headquarters at RAAF Base Richmond. It is also responsible for Air Movements Training and Development Unit.
 
Air Lift Group has been at the forefront of Defence operations, given its role of delivering personnel, cargo and equipment where it needs to go. This includes extensive service in the Middle East Area of Operations since 2001, East Timor, the Persian Gulf, Cambodia, West Africa and throughout the Pacific.
 
Air Lift Group has also been extensively involved with humanitarian missions, including the following:
  • Delivering urban search and rescue workers to Japan following the 2011 Tsunami / Earthquake, as well as conducting internal airlift flights in Japan and delivering remote water cannon equipment from Australia.
  • Delivering urban search and rescue workers to New Zealand following the Christchurch Earthquake, and returning Australian citizens.
  • Conducting relief flights to northern Queensland following the Cyclone Yasi, including assisting in the evacuation of almost 200 hospital patients from Cairns area to Brisbane on 1-2 February.
  • Relieving flood-affected communities in Queensland and Victoria in 2011.
  • Previous humanitarian tasks have included supporting Operation Pakistan Assist I and II (2005 and 2010); recovery of Australians killed in the Kokoda aircrash in Papua New Guinea in 2009; the Australian Government's response to Cyclone Nargis in Burma in 2008; the response to Cyclone Larry in North Queensland in 2006; and the Indian Ocean Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004.
  • Conducting aero-medical evacuation flights for the following:
    • evacuations from Vietnam and Darwin after Cyclone Tracy
    • Rabaul volcanic eruption 1994
    • Bali bombings 2002 and 2005
    • passengers of Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel 36 in April 2009

Contact

  • HQ Air Lift Group,
    RAAF Base Richmond
    NSW 2755
    Australia.

Organisation

Royal Australian Air Force
  • Air Force Headquarters
  • Air Command
    • Air Lift Group
      • No. 84 Wing - VIP transport, and C-130 Hercules training and operation.
      • No. 86 Wing - light and heavy airlift
      • Air Mobility Control Centre - central combat airlift tasking control centre
      • Air Movements Training and Development Unit - aerial delivery certification, development and training