Officers
1. General Duties
2. Air Traffic Control
3. Chaplain
4. Legal
5. Nurse
6. Logistic
7. Administration
8. Engineering
9. Security Police | Airmen/Airwomen
1. Communications Technicians
2. Communications Riggers
3. Security Police
4. Environmental Health
5. Supply
6. Ground maintenance
7. Electrical
8. Communications and information systems Operators
9. Cooks
10. Clerks
11. Medical |
Equipment Used
1. Communications and Information networks
2. Airmovements
3. Warehousing/Procurement
4. Motor Transport/Mechanical
5. Fuel farm
6. Facilities
History Timeline
1941 Care and Maintenance Base for the RAF. Also used as a Reconnaissance Base for the RAAF. The Base fell to the Japanese in December.
1945 Following the end of WW2, the RAF returned and established a Staging Base.
1950 The RAF upgraded the Base for operations against communist terrorists. RAAF Dakota aircraft from 38SQN were deployed to Butterworth.
1955 RAAF Airfield Construction Squadron repaired the airfield and built the north/south runway.
1958 Base Squadron Butterworth formed. RAAF assumed command of the Butterworth air base from the RAF. RAAF Butterworth was established with Nos. 3 & 77 Squadrons flying Sabre fighters, No 2 Squadron flying Canberra Bombers and Dakota transports, No. 478 Maintenance Squadron, No 114 Control & Reporting Unit and Base Squadron Butterworth.
1964 No 4 RAAF Hospital opened on Base.
1967 2SQN (Canberra Bombers) deployed to Vietnam. Dakota transports remained behind. 3SQN replaced by 75SQN flying Mirage fighters.
1968 3SQN returns with Mirage fighters and replaces 77SQN.
1970 31 March: Ownership of Butterworth formally transferred to the Malaysians. However, as the RMAF was only in it’s infancy, Australian presence remained at 1200 uniformed personnel.
1971 Headquarters Integrated Air Defence System (HQIADS) formally established, tasked with providing for the air Defence of Malaysia and Singapore under the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA). The five nations involved are Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Britain.
1983 RMAF commenced taking control of Butterworth.
75SQN withdrawn to Australia.
No 478 Maintenance Squadron was disbanded.
1986 3SQN withdrawn to Australia.
1987 No 4 RAAF Hospital disbanded.
1988 RMAF take full command and control of the Base. Base Squadron Butterworth disbanded. RAAF Support Unit Butterworth (SUBUT) formed.
1999 SUBUT disbanded. No 324 Combat Support Squadron formed.
HQIADS changes name from “… Air Defence…” to “… Area Defence…” and receives both Army and Navy personnel from the five nations
History of Australian Presence at Butterworth
1. Butterworth’s military history began in 1941. The RAF chose the then Butterworth airfield as the location for a “care and maintenance” air base. Soon afterwards the RAAF began to use the base for tactical reconnaissance purposes using Brewster Buffalo fighter aircraft. On 7 Dec 41 the base was caught totally unprepared for the sudden invasion by the Japanese. Squadrons of RAF Blenheim bombers and the RAAF Brewster Buffalo fighters flew in from airfields further north with the enemy hot on their heels.
2. Two days later, on 9 Dec 41, the conflict reached Butterworth. Japanese bombers and fighters made a devastating attack on the base and many of the evacuated aircraft were either destroyed on the ground or in the air. Some RAAF Brewster Buffaloes took off to intercept but the aging fights were no match for the Japanese Zeros and we lost many aircraft. As for the RAF Blenheims, all were destroyed on the ground and the base itself was severely damaged by fire and delayed action bombs.
3. Within weeks the Malay Peninsula had been over-run by the Japanese army and Butterworth, in common with all other military bases in the area, was occupied for the remainder of the war. During their occupation the Japanese built an east-west runway at the base. That runway is now used as hardstanding for visiting aircraft.
4. With the Japanese surrender in 1945, the RAF returned. Butterworth was used as a staging and refueling post for aircraft flying between Singapore and Ceylon. In this context the strategic importance of the base was well recognised and in Jan 50, the RAF stepped up its deployment and established the base as a link with the far-east bases in Singapore. In addition, a staging base was developed at Glugor (on Penang Island) for the Sunderland Flying boats that visited on a regular basis.
5. At the outbreak of operations against communist terrorists in 1950, 33SQN RAF (equipped initially with Tempest and later with Hornets) was based at Butterworth. That squadron made daily bombing and rocket attacks against the terrorists. The attacks continued during 1952, 1953 and 1954 aided by detachments of various RAF squadrons flying Brigand, Vampire and Sunderland aircraft. RAAF Lincoln bombers were also deployed to Butterworth to assist these operations.
6. In 1955 a new chapter in Butterworth's history began. No 2ACS RAAF moved in to re-construct the airfield at a cost of $A10m. Included in the reconstruction was a 9000ft north-south runway with 800ft hardened overruns at each end. Air Base Butterworth, although owned by the RAF, was placed under RAAF control in 1958 as part of the Commonwealth strategic reserve. Shortly after, RAAF 78 Fighter Wing, comprising 3 and 77SQNs flying Sabre aircraft, and also 2 SQN flying Canberra bombers, from Williamtown and Amberely respectively, was established in Butterworth.
7. Ownership of Butterworth Air Base was formally transferred from the RAF to the Malaysian Government on 31 Mar 70 under the 1955 Dudley Arrangements. At that time, the RMAF was still in its infancy and therefore not in a position to take over fully the air Defence role or utilize the facilities at Butterworth. Subsequently, two RAAF fighter squadrons of Mirage aircraft were deployed to the air base, thus marking the start of the RAAF’s presence as the primary contributor to the air Defence of Malaysia. The deployment was with the ambit of the Five Powers Defence Arrangement between Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and the United Kingdom (a copy of that document is enclosed later in this brief). It was in accordance with the arrangement that the Integrated Air Defence System (IADS) was established with the headquarters at Air Base Butterworth.
8. In 1969 the RAAF donated 12 F86 Sabre aircraft to the RMAF to form No 11 SQN RMAF. The RMAF Butterworth Base elements were established on 1 Apr 70. On that date, 11SQN RMAF was joined at the base by 3SQN RMAF. In Jan 71, No A Air Defence Centre moved in with its Marconi A600 Radar, taking over from RAF Air Defence Radar Unit located on Western Hill, Penang. On 31 May 75, No 12 SQN RMAF was officially inaugurated and 11SQN RMAF disbanded, only to be later reactivated in 1983 equipped with RE5Fe aircraft. Finally, in 1996, 18SQN RMAF was raised to operate the newly acquired F/A-18 D models, which is the night strike variant of the Hornet.
9. Since then the base has been the home of both the RAAF and the RMAF. Both air forces are operationally and administratively independent of each other. However, since co-located we share common facilities and maintain close liaison and co-operation with the RMAF. Eventually, with the RMAF continually expanding, and changing strategic views, coupled with economic pressures within Australia, the decision was made to withdraw in phases from Butterworth leaving a small detachment to cater for regular visits by RAAF aircraft participating in joint air exercises.
10. Between 1965 and 1983, the RAAF at Butterworth had a peak strength of approximately 1200 service personnel. The return of 75SQN and consequent disbanding of 478MAINTSQN both occurred in late 1983, and 4RAAF Hospital disbanded on 1 Jul 87. 30 Jun 88 Headquarters RAAF Butterworth, 79SQN and BSBUT disbanded and was replaced on 1 Jul 88 by RAAF Support Unit Butterworth. Finally, on 30 Jan 1999, RAAFSUBUT was disbanded and 324CSS created. Significantly, on the formation of 324CSS, ACAUST confirmed the regional support directive, requiring 324CSS to provide support to exercises and deployments of RAAF and ADF units deployed throughout South-East Asia (SEA).
