RAAF marks 90 years of Royalty

The Royal Australian Air Force has marked 90 years since the title of 'Royal' was bestowed upon it.

On August 13 1921, the then Governor-General signed the order approving of the ‘Royal’ title. As RAAF historian Dr Chris Clark explains, the history of the RAAF’s founding involves several dates that could be considered the RAAF’s birthday.

“During World War I, the squadrons of the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) were part of the Australian Imperial Force and were attached to the larger British formations of the Royal Flying Corps and from 1918 the Royal Air Force,” Clark explains. “On 1 January 1920, the AFC was replaced by the Australian Air Corps, which was itself officially succeeded on 31 March 1921 by the ‘Australian Air Force’.

“Although the RAAF celebrates its birthday on 31 March 1921, the date from which the service was officially known as the Australian Air Force, in February of the same year the decision had already been made to ask the King to grant the ‘Royal’ title.

“On 18 August 1921, the Commonwealth Gazette printed the order signed by the Governor-General on 13 August, approving of the ‘Royal’ title.”

Below is an image from the Commonwealth Gazette that contains the Governor-General’s order approving the ‘Royal’ title. To view this and other pages, with the ability to zoom in and read every word, click here.


The history of the RAAF 
Established in 1921, the Royal Australian Air Force is the second-oldest independent air force in the world. Military aviation came of age during World War I when airships and early aircraft were principally used for reconnaissance. Australia’s four Australian Flying Corps (AFC) squadrons were part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and were attached to larger British Royal Flying Corps / Royal Air Force formations.

During World War I, 800 officers and 2840 men served in the AFC and 175 lost their lives. Many AFC veterans helped to lay the groundwork for the future Royal Australian Air Force and after the war, others would enter industry to make significant contributions to civil aviation. During 1920, the AFC was replaced by the Australian Air Corps, which in turn became the Royal Australian Air Force on 31 March 1921.

In World War II, Australian aircrew fought in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East; over the North Atlantic, the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the Mediterranean; India, Burma, Malaya, Singapore, Thailand, China, the Netherland East Indies, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Philippines and Borneo. They also fought over Australia, its territories, and its approaches.

In late 1944, the RAAF peaked at over 182,000 personnel and 6200 aircraft in 61 squadrons. In 1945, Australia had the fourth-largest air force in the world (after the US, USSR and UK). Over 215,000 men and women served between 1939-45, and 9870 RAAF personnel lost their lives. Over 55 per cent of these deaths occurred in the air war against Germany over Europe.

Air Force personnel have since served with distinction in Korea, Malaya, the ‘Confrontation’, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. The RAAF has also proudly served in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions throughout the world, including Bougainville, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Somalia and the Sudan, in which many hundreds of RAAF personnel have been involved. Since 1945, over 60 RAAF personnel have lost their lives in conflict or through accidents during operations.

Today, the RAAF employs about 14,500 men and women, supported by 3500 Air Force Reservists and 900 civilian public servants at 11 major bases and a host of offices across Australia. Globally, the RAAF has between 500 and 700 people on operations each day, contributing to coalition operations, peacekeeping and humanitarian and disaster relief.

Looking ahead
As the RAAF looks to 100 years and beyond, the next phase of evolution in technology is already taking place. With the recent retirement of the DHC-4 Caribou and F-111, Air Force personnel are already retraining and reskilling for the next generation of capability. Four B737 Airborne Early Warning and Control Wedgetail aircraft have been delivered in an initial capability and delivery of the F/A-18F Super Hornet is well advanced.

The Heron remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) have now been leased, and the KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is under development. Flight testing of the F-35 – Australia’s next generation air combat capability – is well under way.