wing raaf wing strike reconnaissance wing royal_australian_air_force raaf headquartered queensland coming control wing operates fighters forward air control aircraft units include nos squadrons operating squadron operating formed august wing operated heavy bombers theatre world war initially comprising flying units nos squadrons wing augmented squadron war operational units nos squadrons equipped jets types saw action emergency 1950s deployed vietnam war stop gap pending delivery long delayed swing wing bomber nos squadrons flew leased squadron continued fly disbanded taking delivery nos squadrons operated type years numerous upgrades augmented mid-1990s models forward air control unit joined wing wing retired replaced interim force planned entry australian service lightning joint strike fighter boeing scheduled augment fleet history world war heavy bomber wing raaf wing formed victoria august command group captain squadrons equipped wing operational january time headquartered came control raaf nwa based airfield wing aircraft sank seven japanese ships dutch_east_indies march april available joined wing assault japanese convoy included cruiser anti aircraft fire cruiser ships attacks enemy fighters resulted loss crews standard aerial gunnery criticised allied submarines sank damaged following day later month squadron having recently converted added wing strength wing flying squadrons identified black tail fins aircraft facing backwards downwards forwards bombers wing played tactical strategic role beginning lead operation invasion month detachment relocated attacking targets prior operation invasion june final allied offensive borneo campaign got way operation remainder wing transferred nwa command australian tactical air force middle month wing dropped tons bombs oil fields surrounding areas coastal defence sites july bombed targets borneo losing month including new commanding officer group captain died crew hit anti aircraft fire sea risky operation owing fuselage tendency break striking water end hostilities pacific recently established garrison headquarters group unofficially directed wing operations following japanese surrender september wing converted transports raaf personnel course wartime existence wing personnel numbered half ground crew flying squadrons complement included repair unit medical clearing station cold war wing moved present location queensland came control raaf year maintenance squadron formed repair unit responsible repair wing aircraft flying complement included nos wing squadrons renumbered nos squadrons respectively february time wartime replaced heavy bombers specially modified advanced radar instrumentation participate joint program royal_air_force gathering long range navigation bombing data use potential air campaigns soviet_union years control composite wing squadron deployed service tasked prime responsibility commonwealth bombing campaign communist insurgents arrangement meant wing flying units reduced nos squadrons wing flew observation flights connection british atomic tests australia protective clothing issued air ground crews flights following second operation october involved found contaminated heavily parked remote corner air base flown april wing wrote loss life separate incidents collectively known black thursday crashed landing day night lincoln collided queensland december wing took delivery raaf jet bomber equipped wing squadrons years new bombers acquired partly capacity deliver nuclear weapons ordnance option raaf seriously investigated implemented following nos squadrons canberra lincoln conversion flight formed july wing provide training older bomber crews preparing deploy malaya service squadron disbanded march squadron relieved squadron malaya january bomber operational conversion unit established control wing role convert pilots canberra train operations bomber squadrons wing slated possible bombing reconnaissance tasks indonesian forces little publicised plan effect indonesia malaysia combat ensued squadron saw extensive action vietnam war control 35th tactical fighter wing flew sorties delivered pounds bombs loss aircraft enemy action gained high reputation accuracy independent wing april sole purpose disbandment june supply trained crews squadron vietnam nos squadrons effectively ceased operations crews underwent conversion swing wing bomber expected enter service soon interim measure pending delayed delivery nos squadrons flew leased squadron continued operate canberra mainly aerial survey work australia indonesia disbanding air_force retained option purchase program cancelled sophisticated aircraft phantom significant advance canberra highly regarded raaf crews june wing group captain led land gala occasion attended deputy prime minister minister defence chief air staff air vice marshal large media contingent read ordered operate great caution initially limits controversial aircraft suffer greater damage reputation early attrition year career wing underwent numerous upgrades including red laser guided precision weapons targeting system anti shipping missiles advanced digital roles wing squadron lead strike unit squadron primarily tasked providing crew conversion training squadron responsible reconnaissance missions specially modified aircraft transferred squadron flew leased survey work raaf original order lost accidents replaced upgraded models order placed augment force models operated squadron wing awarded duke proficient raaf unit success introducing minimal additional staff official history post war air_force described region pre eminent strike aircraft raaf important acquisition closest bombers came anger australian led intervention september squadrons deployed support international forces remained december september began arrive aircraft maintained high level readiness conduct reconnaissance flights air strikes situation deteriorated happened encounter significant resistance operations limited reconnaissance november december squadron merged aircraft depot form wing march squadron completed disbandment june year raaf air force operating retired type performed maintenance contract february wing came control newly established formed merging reorganisation altered wing responsibilities transferred lead training wing new_south_wales wing charge strike capability wing fighters based wing role reiterated precision strike reconnaissance flying added strength merger designed position air_force replace single joint strike fighter australian government decided retire acquire interim replacement pending arrival lightning development fleet considered risk fatigue issues expensive operate aircraft required hours maintenance hour flying time wing began retired december year combined july form squadron following year wing home flight responsible training personnel operate raaf aerial vehicles based afghanistan air_force acquired based australia operated flight year expected enter australian service raaf hoped able sell low kilometres clock depend delivery replacement april flight transferred wing surveillance wing following month federal government announced plans purchase supplement fleet squadron expected begin taking delivery point transferred squadron
No. 82 Wing RAAF