List of aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force
Aircraft type Variant Origin Role Service period Notes
A10 Fairey IIID Fairey IIID United Kingdom Three-seat spotter-reconnaissance , survey seaplane 1921-1928 RAAF on behalf of the RAN . Six aircraft
A9 Supermarine Seagull Seagull Mk III United Kingdom Three-seat spotter-reconnaissance , survey amphibian aircraft 1926-1936 RAAF on behalf of the RAN . Nine aircraft
A11 Supermarine Southampton Southampton Mk I United Kingdom General reconnaissance flying boat aircraft , with a crew of five 1928-1939 Two aircraft
A2 Supermarine Walrus /Seagull V Seagull Mk V Walrus Mk I Walrus Mk III United Kingdom Three-seat air/sea rescue , maritime patrol amphibian aircraft 1935-1947 RAAF on behalf of the RAN . 61 aircraft
A18 Short S.23 Empire S.23 C Class Empire Flying Boat United Kingdom Four-engine 24-passenger flying boat airliner 1939-1943 Five aircraft . Impressed into RAAF service for transport and air-ambulance duties in 1939 . See Qantas fleet history
Short S.26 G Class Flying Boat S.26/M G Class Flying Boat United Kingdom Four-engine 38-passenger flying boat airliner 1941 only Three aircraft . RAF aircraft were operated by No . 10 Squadron RAAF
A26 Short Sunderland Sunderland Mk I United Kingdom Four-engine general-reconnaissance flying boat aircraft , with a crew of 13 1939-1946 146 aircraft . RAF aircraft were operated by No . 10 Squadron RAAF and No . 461 Squadron RAAF . RAF variants were the Sunderland Mk I , Mk II , Mk III and Mk V
A24 Consolidated Catalina PBY-4 Catalina PBY-5 Catalina PBY-5A Catalina PB2B-1 Catalina PB2B-2 Catalina United States Twin-engine general reconnaissance flying-boat aircraft , with a crew of 8 or 9 1940-1950 168 aircraft . See Consolidated PBY Catalina in Australian service
Fairey Swordfish Swordfish Mk I United States Three-seat torpedo-bomber , reconnaissance , anti-submarine biplane 1942 only Six aircraft . Used by No . 25 Squadron RAAF in Western Australia
A48 Vought Kingfisher OS2U-3 Kingfisher United States Two-seat reconnaissance aircraft 1942-1948 18 aircraft
A89 Lockheed Neptune P2V-4 Neptune P2V-5 ( P-2E ) Neptune P2V-7 ( SP-2H ) Neptune United States Twin-engine maritime reconnaissance , patrol and anti-submarine aircraft 1951-1977 24 aircraft
A9 Lockheed P-3 Orion P-3B Orion P-3C Orion AP-3C Orion TAP-3B Orion United States Four-engine maritime patrol aircraft 1968-present 31 aircraft
A9 Lockheed AP-3C Orion AP-3C Orion United States Four-engine maritime patrol aircraft 2002-present
A47 Boeing P-8 Poseidon P-8A Poseidon United States 2016-present
Maritime Reconnaissance
Many aircraft types have served in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) since it was formed in March 1921. This is a list of RAAF aircraft, those types that have served and been retired by the RAAF. It also includes aircraft of the Australian Flying Corps, Australian Air Corps and Australian Air Force. The aircraft are listed in alphabetic order of their RAAF type name, and then in mark order within that type. For the current aircraft of the RAAF, refer to the list of current Royal Australian Air Force aircraft.