Royal Australian Air Force – CONTACT magazine

Australian Olympians Haylie Powell and Natalya Diehm, Australian Olympic Committee member Melissa Romer, and Senior Indigenous Liaison Officer, Squadron Leader Coen Henry, sit on the ramp of a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules during Exercise Christmas Hop 2025, over the Northern Territory. Photo by Leading Aircraftman Campbell Latch.

Olympian joins RAAF

10/01/202610/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 154 Views 0 Comments

Women’s Olympic street skateboarder Haylie Powell is excited to be following in her parents’ footsteps by joining the Royal Australian

Group Captain Adam Saber gives a farewell gift to outgoing Commander Air Mobility Group, Air Commodore Bradley Clarke at a Change of Command ceremony at RAAF Base Richmond. Photo by Leading Aircraftwoman Mikaela Fernlund.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Change of command at Air Mobility Group

10/01/202610/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 181 Views 0 Comments

Air Mobility Group (AMG) aviators marched on the tarmac at RAAF Base Richmond on December 10 to farewell the outgoing

Warrant Officer of the Air Force Warrant Officer Ralph Clifton presents acting Flight Lieutenant Thomas James Carmody’s Australian Service Medal 1939–1945 and War Medal 1939–1945 to Julie Carmody. Photo: Aircraftman Jakob Reid.

News Royal Australian Air Force Veterans

War hero’s medals awarded 80 years late

10/01/202610/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 148 Views 0 Comments

Fire, exploding ammunition and a collapsing aircraft hangar didn’t stop acting Flight Lieutenant Tom Carmody (deceased) during the Second World

Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force members participate in Virtual Flag: Coalition 26-1 at the 705th Combat Training Squadron, also known as the Distributed Mission Operations Center, at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force USA

Coalition enhanced on virtual Red Flag

03/01/202603/01/2026 Posted by Brian Hartigan 910 Views 0 Comments

The Virtual Flag: Coalition exercise, hosted annually by the 705th Combat Training Squadron, also known as the Distributed Mission Operations

Alfie the Elf goes on patrol with military working dog Wilka from 22 Squadron at RAAF Base Richmond. Story by Flight Lieutenant Madeleine Magee. Photos by Aircraftwoman Grace Hanlon.

News Overseas Royal Australian Air Force

Alfie the Elf’s Christmas at RAAF Base Richmond

19/12/202519/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1157 Views 1 Comment Christmas, RAAF Richmond

Far away in the North Pole, Alfie the Elf was busy working in Santa’s workshop when he received some very

Royal Australian Air Force F-35A conducts a flypast at the 2025 ADFA Graduation Parade. Story by Hannah Donald.Photo by Thomas Lucraft.

ADF Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

Future leaders graduate from ADFA

19/12/202519/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1390 Views 0 Comments ADFA, Governor-General of Australia

Marking the completion of three years of university study and joint military training, 330 third-year Trainee Officers took to the

Operation Linesmen and Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense personnel salute remains recovered from White Horse Hill in the Korean DMZ. Story and photos by Lieutenant Commander Brendan Trembath.

Asia Australian Army History Lest We Forget News Royal Australian Air Force

ADF aids KIA recovery from Korean DMZ

19/12/202520/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1103 Views 0 Comments Korean War, Operation Linesmen

Seventy-five years after the Korean War started, the Australian Defence Force has supported a successful remains recovery mission on a

Clive Wawn Junior holding the ‘short snorter’ with Squadron Leader Andrew Chadwick at the RAAF Townsville Aviation Heritage Centre. Story and photos by Flying Officer Casie Scott.

ADF People History Lest We Forget Royal Australian Air Force

A ‘short snorter’ with a powerful story

18/12/202518/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 829 Views 0 Comments RAAF Townsville Aviation Heritage Centre (RTAHC), WWII

An extraordinary piece of wartime history is now on display at the RAAF Townsville Aviation Heritage Centre: a 10-shilling ‘short

General Qais Khalaf Rahima (Staff), Deputy Commander of Joint Operations, Iraqi Armed Forces in Baghdad, and Australia's Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Major General Hugh McAslan, at the cessation of Operation Steadfast. Story by Captain Karam Louli. Photos by Sergeant Andrew Sleeman.

Australian Army Middle East News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

ADF wraps up Iraq operation

18/12/202520/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 832 Views 0 Comments Iraq, Operation Steadfast

Australia has officially concluded Operation Steadfast, marking the final chapter in more than two decades of Australian Defence Force involvement

Three Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft, the largest contingent to date, on the apron at Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth during Operation Gateway. Story by Flight Lieutenant Brent Moloney. Photos by Corporal Andrew Shaw.

Asia News Royal Australian Air Force

Three of a kind in Malaysia

18/12/202518/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1067 Views 0 Comments No. 292 Squadron, No. 92 Wing, Operation Gateway, P-8A Poseidon, Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth, Royal Malaysian Armed Forces

Operation Gateway’s latest rotation in November and December 2025 witnessed a trio of RAAF P-8A Poseidons operating from Royal Malaysian

n MQ-28A Ghost Bat is loaded with a NAIM-120 inert air-to-air missile variant at the ordnance loading area during Trial Kareela at RAAF Base Woomera, South Australia. Story by Squadron Leader Chris Moon. Photos by Aircraftman Ivan Smotrov.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Ghost Bat hits target in live fire

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1431 Views 0 Comments MQ-28A Ghost Bat, RAAF Woomera

The Australian designed and manufactured MQ-28A Ghost Bat achieved another major milestone, becoming one of the first collaborative combat aircraft

Royal Australian Air Force officers Air Commodore Adam Spinks, left, and Air Commodore Bill Hayden unveil the Australian Armourers Association plaque at the RAAF Memorial Grove, Canberra. Story and photos by Corporal Michael Rogers.

History Lest We Forget News Royal Australian Air Force

Memorial enshrines Air Force ‘gunnies’

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 961 Views 0 Comments

More than a century after Australian aircrew first dropped bombs over the Middle East, a memorial has been dedicated to

Medical officer Flight Lieutenant Alannah Frazzetto, of 1 Expeditionary Health Services, Royal Australian Air Force, serves on Operation Gateway at RMAF Butterworth, Malaysia. Story by Flight Lieutenant Brent Moloney. Photos by Corporal Andrew Shaw.

Asia News Royal Australian Air Force

Teams behind the scenes on Op Gateway

12/12/202512/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1031 Views 0 Comments Operation Gateway, P-8A Poseidon, Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth

Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircrew flew long sorties over the North Indian Ocean or the South China Sea

Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force personnel with the new Kenworth prime mover truck at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. Story by Corporal Luke Bellman. Photo by Leading Aircraftwoman Nell Bradbury.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force

New vehicles to keep Army on the move

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1600 Views 1 Comment RAAF Amberley

Updated collision mitigation, braking technology, digitised fleet management and driver assist systems are some of the features of the new

Pilots from four nations – the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, second from right, and United States Air Force sit in the cockpit of a CC-177 Globemaster (701) during a flight to Canadian Forces Station Alert. Story by Taster Murdoch. Photos by Corporal Gwyneth Lovell, Canadian Armed Forces.

News Overseas Royal Australian Air Force

Operation Boxtop on top of the world

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1379 Views 0 Comments Canadian Armed Forces, No. 36 Squadron, Operation Boxtop, US Air Force

Members from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) 36 Squadron joined international forces for Operation Boxtop to resupply bases in the

An Australian designed and built MQ-28A Ghost Bat fires an AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile during Trial Kareela at RAAF Base Woomera, South Australia. RAAF image.

Australian News Royal Australian Air Force Science & Technology Sovereign industry

MQ-28A Ghost Bat wins big after live fire

10/12/202510/12/2025 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1318 Views 0 Comments

The Australian government will invest approximately $1.4 billion to transition the MQ-28A Ghost Bat into a fully operational war-fighting asset

Australian and Philippine Air Force members and representatives of Wheelchairs for Kids and the Angeles City Returned Services League, with two of the wheelchairs delivered to Clark Air Base, Philippines.

Asia Health and Wellbeing News Royal Australian Air Force

Wheelchairs fly so children can thrive

05/12/202505/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 896 Views 0 Comments Armed Forces of the Philippines, C-130J Hercules, RAAF Richmond, RSL

On November 18, some important and precious Christmas gifts sat on board a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules. CAPTION:

Pathfinder Association representative Jeff McClenaughan awards 35 Squadron the Squadron of the Year trophy during the 2025 Pathfinders Awards at RAAF Base Richmond. Story by Flight Lieutenant Madeleine Magee. Photos by Leading Aircraftwoman Maddison Scott.

Archives Royal Australian Air Force

Air Mobility Group honours high flyers

05/12/202505/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 505 Views 0 Comments Air Mobility Group (AMG), RAAF Richmond

The annual Air Mobility Group Pathfinder Awards held at RAAF Base Richmond have honoured the group’s highest performers and innovators.

Flight Lieutenants Alyssa Vickridge and Sophie Lanson, Wing Commander Lauren Guest, Flight Lieutenants Harriette Parker and Sharlene Huiskes, with Flying Officer Bun Tang, after the cyclone. Story by Flight Lieutenant Kayla Walliss.

News Royal Australian Air Force

RAAF Base Darwin stands firm against Fina

03/12/202503/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 820 Views 0 Comments cyclone, No. 13 Squadron, RAAF Darwin

Not since Cyclone Tracy in 1974 has a weather event as severe as Tropical Cyclone Fina impacted the Darwin coastline

A relative of Flight Lieutenant Ross Frayne – a World War 2 and Korean War veteran who died in a crash at RAAF Base Mallala in 1955 – places a poppy on a commemorative wreath at the new Air Force memorial at the South Australian Aviation Museum. Story by Group Captain Greg Weller.

ADF People History Lest We Forget Royal Australian Air Force

Air Force commemorates peacetime sacrifice

03/12/202503/12/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1467 Views 1 Comment Aircraft Research and Development Unit, RAAF Edinburgh, South Australian Aviation Museum

Attendees gathered at the South Australian Aviation Museum (SAAM) to witness the Dedication and Inaugural Commemorative Service of a new

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