A 100 Squadron Spitfire landing at Avalon during an earlier airshow. Photo: ANDREW KACIMAIWAI It’s been 80 years since John McDonald sat in the cockpit of a Spitfire. He had a reunion, of sorts, at the 2025 Australian International Airshow at Avalon, Victoria, in the last week of March. Warrant Officer (retd) McDonald, 100, was…
The wreck of RAAF Baltimore FW282 in the Aegean Sea. Photo: AegeanTec/Department of Defence. A memorial service is to be held for a WWII RAAF light bomber that was discovered in the waters of Greece last year. The wreck of the Baltimore (registered FW282) was discovered resting in 61 metres of water off the island…
A Boeing E-7A Wedgetail takes off from RAAF Base Darwin last year. Photo: Department of Defence The Federal Government has signed two aviation maintenance deals with Boeing Australia and Lockheed Martin worth more than $880m. Recently, it signed a $569m 10-year deal with Boeing Australia to maintain the Royal Australian Air Force’s E-7A Wedgetail surveillance…
A RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet departs Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, this year during a three-nation training exercise. Photo: Department of Defence. Last year, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) released its $38.2 billion rebuilt Integrated Investment Plan detailing its goals to achieve the targets spelt out in the National Defence Strategy. The ADF divided its…
RAAF Bristol Beauforts on patrol in 1945. Picture: Department of Defence An Australian WW2 bomber found on the seabed off Darwin is to remain where it lies undisturbed for the time being. The twin-engine Beaufort light bomber was a surprise discovery during a routine survey by a team from the defence force’s Australian Hydrographic Office.…
AN F-35 Lightning lands at RAAF Williamtown, one of nine final aircraft for the RAAF. Photo: LAC Kurt Lewis/Department of Defence Australia has taken delivery of its final F-35A Lightning II advanced combat aircraft at RAAF Base Williamtown, NSW. The 72-aircraft strong F-35A fleet, along with its EA-18 Growler and F/A-18 Super Hornets, are the…
Disaster response team members board a C-17 at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland, yesterday. Picture: Department of Defence Australia has sent a 64-person disaster response team to Port Vila as Vanuatu starts to recover from Tuesday’s deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake. The federal government says there has been extensive damage to buildings in, and around, the capital, Port…