Royal Australian Air Force

Air Force's next generation of aviators are ready to take flight. Forty pilots and mission aircrew have celebrated significant career milestones after graduating from Air Academy, marking the beginning of their journey into operational service across the Australian Defence Force. The graduates from ADF Pilot Courses 286, 287, Mission Aircrew Courses 69, and 70 will now transition to a range of frontline capabilities, including Air Combat, Air Mobility, Maritime Patrol and Response Operations, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. Congratulations to all graduates and the instructors, mentors and support staff whose commitment helped prepare them for the challenges ahead. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/ei8VwZHU 📷 | SMN Shelby Allan #AusAirForce #YourADF #StrongerTogether #AirAcademy #MilitaryAviation

From a five-year-old inspired by an astronaut suit to the technical lead of one of Air Force's most innovative autonomous aviation projects, Flying Officer Patrick Phillips has come a long way. 👨🚀✈️ Just a year after graduating from the @Australian Defence Force Academy, FLGOFF Phillips is technical lead for Project Camel Train. His team recently marked a massive milestone: overseeing the first long-distance autonomous flight of the "JabX" aircraft from Queensland to South Australia. For FLGOFF Phillips, innovation means "having the freedom to step back, have a think, and just let your mind run wild on the possibilities and the ways you can solve a problem." Read more about how this former Daramalan College student is helping shape the future of uncrewed military logistics: https://lnkd.in/dymRvJbU 📷 | LACW Aiesha White-Kratz #AusAirForce #YourADF #BuildingFightingDepth

Sovereign innovation meets next-generation logistics. 🇦🇺✈️ In collaboration with Queensland-based RF Design, the Royal Australian Air Force’s Jericho Disruptive Innovation unit has successfully executed the first long-range autonomous transit of the "JabX" uncrewed aerial system. Navigating a multi-stop, several-thousand-kilometre flight path from Queensland to South Australia, the JabX proved the viability of autonomous tactical cargo delivery for Australia’s vast and remote northern regions. Key takeaways: • The aircraft features an Australian-built airframe, engine, and flight control software. • Automating routine logistics tasks preserves crewed assets and personnel for high-complexity missions. • The flight successfully validated advanced detect-and-avoid systems required to operate safely in shared civilian airspace. Congratulations to the entire engineering team on this breakthrough. The success of JDI’s Project Camel Train highlights the incredible depth of talent within the Australian Defence Force and our domestic defence industry partners. The next phase of testing will remove the safety pilot entirely, paving the way for fully independent, multi-platform autonomous operations. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/exZB2se4 #AusAirForce #YourADF #BuildingFightingDepth #DefenceIndustry #AerospaceEngineering #AutonomousSystems #Innovation

A little friendly rivalry never hurt anyone! ✈️ Flight Lieutenants Scott Marshall and Bridget Greenall have developed a sibling-like rivalry at No. 1 Recruit Training Unit, swapping Parade Commander duties at graduation parades every fortnight. There’s plenty of good-natured banter about who does it better, but behind the competition is genuine respect and a shared commitment to giving Air Force’s newest aviators a graduation to remember. So, who’s winning? That depends which Flight Lieutenant you ask! 😉 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/et_kaH5R 📷 | FLGOFF Belinda Barker

The action wasn't just in the sky. 👀 On the ground at Pacific Airshow Gold Coast, visitors had the chance to meet our personnel and learn more about what we do. From taking the controls of the flight simulator and exploring the Air Force Balloon and Combat Support Group displays, to meeting our people and learning about ADF careers, there was plenty to see, do and discover. ✈️🇦🇺 “Everyone that tried our Classic Hornet simulator walked away with the biggest smile,” said PLTOFF Joshua Groenland. Which ground display was your favourite? 👀 📷 | LAC Campbell Latch #YourADF

🚀 STEM takes flight at Pacific Airshow! More than 5,000 students from across the Gold Coast joined ADF personnel, aviators and astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg for Pacific Airshow’s NXTGN ‘Students with Altitude’ day. From watching the precision of the Air Force Roulettes and exploring the history of No. 100 Squadron, to putting their questions to Defence personnel and taking a turn in a flight simulator, students got to experience STEM beyond the classroom. The day was about showing students where curiosity, science and technology can take them – from the cockpit and flightline to careers supporting Australia’s Defence capability and the future of space exploration. For one day, the Gold Coast became a classroom with a runway, a flightline and the sky above it. ✈️ Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e_Mx5xq4 📷 | LAC Campbell Latch #PacificAirshow #STEM #RAAF #AirForce #StudentsWithAltitude #Defence

✈️ After wowing crowds at the Ekka, the Roulettes touched down in Rockhampton for flying practice ahead of the Pacific Airshow Gold Coast. While spectators see just a few minutes of precision flying, every display is built on weeks of planning, training and trust. Operating six aircraft in close formation at high speed requires complete confidence in each team member. As FLTLT Brodie Sweeney puts it: "We don’t always get it right, but we have to own up to mistakes so that we can debrief and improve as a team." ➡️ Read more about the power of teamwork in the skies: https://lnkd.in/e5KC9wEP

ADFA Open Day is taking place this weekend - Saturday 15 August from 0900 to 1600. With over 70 interactive and static displays, visitors can get up close to Defence capability across the maritime, land, air, space and cyber domains. Learn more about ADFA and what a career in the ADF is all about: https://lnkd.in/e7ZsFik5 #ADFAOpenDay2026

Exercise Pitch Black 2026 demonstrates that air power is a true team effort. ✈️ Through realistic, high-tempo training alongside allies and partners, Air Force is enhancing readiness, building resilience and strengthening the collective capability needed to meet future challenges.

Finland and Sweden’s first time on Ex PITCH BLACK. 🇫🇮 🇸🇪 For the first time in the exercise’s history, Finland and Sweden have attended Exercise Pitch Black 2026 For the RAAF, hosting the Finnish and Swedish contingents reflects the growing weight Ex PB26 carries as a drawcard for like-minded Euro-Atlantic air forces navigating an increasingly complex strategic environment. 📷 | LACW Nell Bradbury ➡️ Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/ecX2vEUA #AusAirForce #YourADF #StrongerTogether #ExPB26