No. 82 Wing Training Flight RAAF

No. 82 Wing Training Flight
No. 82 Wing Training Flight
	An Australian F/A-18F Super Hornet
Active	January 2020–current
Country	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Role	Training
Part of	No. 82 Wing RAAF
Base	RAAF Base Amberley
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet

No. 82 Wing Training Flight is a Royal Australian Air Force flight which was established in January 2020 to provide training for No. 82 Wing. It is equipped with six Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets.

History and role

Until 2015, No. 6 Squadron was the operational conversion unit responsible for preparing RAAF aircrew to operate Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft. During that year, the squadron relinquished the training role ahead of being re-equipped with Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft.^[1] RAAF Super Hornet and Growler aircrew subsequently undertook operational conversion training in the United States with United States Navy units.^[2] A flight responsible for refresher training was also established within No. 1 Squadron, the RAAF's operational F/A-18F unit.^[1]

No. 82 Wing Training Flight was established in January 2020.^[3] It forms part of a two-year trial of returning most Super Hornet operational conversation training in Australia. As part of the trial, some aircrew will be assigned to the flight after completing their initial fighter training with No. 76 Squadron.^[1] The RAAF is hopeful that the trial will lead to better outcomes than training the aircrew in the United States, including by ensuring that they are familiar with Australian operational procedures from the outset, as these are not taught by the US Navy.^[2]

Upon establishment, No. 82 Wing Training Flight was assigned six F/A-18Fs.^[2] The unit's inaugural commander also doubles as the executive officer of No. 82 Wing.^[3]

From 26 November to 9 December 2020, Exercise Gauntlet Strike was held at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory, providing the final qualification activity for operational conversion courses for aircrew trainees.^[4]

The flight remained active as of March 2023, when it conducted the periodic Exercise Crimson Dawn as the final stage of the eight month long F/A-18F conversion course.^[5] In December 2023 the Department of Defence noted that the most recent iteration of Exercise Crimson Dawn had been conducted by a unit called No. 1 Squadron Training Flight.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c McLaughlin, Andrew (9 June 2020). "RAAF 82WG stands up Super Hornet training flight". ADBR. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c Nicholson, Dylan (5 June 2020). "Super Hornet training flight trial launched at Amberley". Defence Connect. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
^ ^a ^b Payne, Jacqui (25 June 2020). "Training across full spectrum" (PDF). Air Force. Department of Defence. p. 2. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
^ Cochran, Robert (14 December 2020). "Show of air power ends crew training". Defence News. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
^ Campbell, Claire (16 March 2023). "Darkest before the dawn". Air Force. p. 7. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
^ "Crimson Dawn fills Tindal skies". Department of Defence. 4 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.