Combat Support Group

The Royal Australian Air Force's Combat Support Group (CSG) is the largest Force Element Group, comprising approximately 3000 personnel located around Australia and overseas. Its primary expeditionary focus is on establishing, operating and maintaining aircraft support services on forward operating bases, including bare bases in Australia’s north, and in remote areas within Australia’s area of strategic interest. The group is also responsible for providing the ongoing command and management of Air Force bases across Australia.

CSG’s main function is to supply the Air Force with vital services such as:

airfield communications and navigational aids
airfield engineering
aircraft loading and unloading
airfield rescue and fire services
airfield and aircraft security
health support and aero-medical evacuation crews
catering.

CSG's key capability is its ability is to take any combination of services from a fixed base and tailor an expeditionary package designed to meet the needs of a specific mission. To simplify planning, the Combat Support Coordination Centre (CSCC) was formed as the coordination point for all CSG expeditionary missions. The CSCC’s role is to take direction from Joint Operations Command and provide CSG with mission-specific guidance. There are seven primary capabilities:

expeditionary base support
fixed base support
evacuation handling centres
health support
security
airfield engineering
communications

that may require any or all of the following services:

aircraft loading and unloading
security
ground defence
explosive ordnance disposal
rescue services
fire-fighting
physical training
military working dogs
medical care
dental care
catering
logistics
administration
airfield engineering
ground engineering
electrical engineering
communications and IT support
chaplaincy
intelligence.

For more information on any of these careers, please visit Defence Force Recruiting.

History

Combat Support Group was formed in 1998 to provide the Air Force with a centralised and coordinated capability that could provide fixed and expeditionary air base support services. Provision of these support services was not just aimed at the Air Force, but was also designed to meet the aviation requirements of the wider Australian Defence Force.

Formerly named Operational Support Group, CSG ’s name reflects its current focus on combat capabilities as the Air Force element responsible for airbase services, command, control and management, during peace and conflict.

CSG has made major contributions to operations around the world, including deployments to the Solomon Islands, East Timor, Afghanistan, as well as support to the Australian Defence Force contribution to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Iraq. CSG has also assisted in humanitarian missions including: