DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6265 3343, Fax: 02 62656946
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MSPA 416/08
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
UP AND AWAY: RAAF BASE LEARMONTH REACTIVATED IN
RECORD TIME
Newcastle-based Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel have transformed a bare-
base at Learmonth in Western Australia and turned it into a military airport in record time.
The 100-strong Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron (ECSS) are drawn primarily from
RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales with support from RAAF personnel from
Richmond (NSW) and Townsville (Qld).
At the start of December, the base just south of Exmouth was all but dormant. Now, there
are more than 200 Air Force personnel and several AP-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft
operating temporarily from the remote location as part of Operation RESOLUTE, the
ADF’s contribution to Border Protection Command’s whole of government efforts to
protect Australia’s maritime borders.
Commanding Officer 381 Combat Support Squadron, Wing Commander (WGCDR) Peter
Davis, said within two days of receiving orders the advance party was ready to mobilise,
and the main body of the ECSS was not far behind.
“They have opened up the base, provided emergency - medical - and fire services, food,
housing, and all the things that you need to have the base ready to accept aircraft and to
generate flights out of here.”
“By Sunday night when we got here, the advance party had already set up the mess and we
had a hot meal waiting for us,” WGCDR Davis said.
The efforts of the ECSS earned praise from the Learmonth detachment’s commander,
WGCDR Kevin Murray.
“To my knowledge, it’s the fastest a bare base has ever been stood up and it was a matter of
hours after the main body arrived that we were generating aircraft sorties out of here,”
WGCDR Murray said.
While the deployment will mean being away from family and friends over Christmas,
WGCDR Davis says there is a sense of purpose amongst the personnel at RAAF Base
Learmonth.
Approximately 500 Defence personnel are normally assigned to Operation RESOLUTE.
Additional commitment from the RAAF and RAN has increased this to approximately 800
personnel, and includes up to eight Armidale Class Patrol Boats, additional AP-3C Orion
surveillance aircraft with airlift and logistics support.
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664
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