RAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force base located north of Newcastle, New South Wales ( by road) in Port Stephens. Although a military airfield, it shares its runway with Newcastle Airport, a civilian terminal. The nearest major town is Raymond Terrace, which is west of the base. Medowie, north of the base, is home to many of the base's staff.

RAAF Station Williamtown was established on 15 February 1941 as a training base. A number of Australian Empire Air Training Scheme squadrons were formed at Williamtown before proceeding overseas and No. 4 Operational Training Unit was located at Williamtown from October 1942 until the unit was disbanded in April 1944. Following World War II Williamtown was retained as the RAAF's main fighter base.

Williamtown is currently home to F/A-18 Hornet fighters (operated by No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF, No. 3 Squadron RAAF and No. 77 Squadron RAAF), BAE Hawk 127 Lead-In Fighters (operated by No. 76 Squadron RAAF) and Pilatus PC-9 training aircraft operated by No. 4 Squadron. It is also home to a number of headquarters and other units such as the Australian Defence Force Warfare Centre and Surveillance and Response Group.

Williamtown is the future home of No. 2 Squadron RAAF, with the Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft.

With a workforce of over 3,500 persons, RAAF Base Williamtown has most of the facilities you would expect to find in a small town, including sporting fields, recreation facilities, cinema and even a fortnightly newspaper ( Fighter Force News) hightlighting activities around the Base and outside community.

In addition to its military units, RAAF Williamtown is the home to Fighter World, a museum dedicated to Australian fighter aircraft.

The base has a strong link with the city of Newcastle. This is perhaps best epitomised by the city's A-League franchise the Newcastle Jets, which in addition to the Jets name features the silhouettes of three Hornets on the club badge.

Units

Unit	Full Name	FEG	Aircraft
1ATS DET WLM	No. 1 Air Terminal Squadron Detachment Williamtown	Combat Support Group	N/A
2SQN	No. 2 Squadron	Surveillance and Response Group	B737 AEW&C
2ATHS	No. 2 Air Transportable Health Squadron	Combat Support Group	N/A
2OCU	No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit	Air Combat Group	F/A-18
3SQN	No. 3 Squadron	Air Combat Group	F/A-18
4SQN	No. 4 Squadron		PC-9
3CRU	No. 3 Control and Reporting Unit	Surveillance and Response Group	N/A
26SQN	No. 26 Squadron	Combat Support Group	N/A
44WG DET WLM	No. 44 Wing Detachment Williamtown	Surveillance and Response Group	N/A
76SQN	No. 76 Squadron	Air Combat Group	BAe-Hawk 127
77SQN	No. 77 Squadron	Air Combat Group	F/A-18
278SQN	No. 278 Squadron	Air Combat Group	N/A
381ECSS	No. 381 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron	Combat Support Group	N/A
CSU-WLM	Combat Support Unit - Williamtown	Combat Support Group	N/A
HQ41WG	Headquarters No. 41 Wing	Surveillance and Response Group	N/A
HQ42WG	Headquarters No. 42 Wing	Surveillance and Response Group	N/A
HQ44WG	Headquarters No. 44 Wing	Surveillance and Response Group	N/A
HQ78WG	Headquarters No. 78 Wing	Air Combat Group	N/A
HQ81WG	Headquarters No. 81 Wing	Air Combat Group	N/A
HQACG	Headquarters Air Combat Group	Air Combat Group	N/A
HQSRG	Headquarters Surveillance and Response Group	Surveillance and Response Group	N/A
SACTU	Surveillance and Control Training Unit	Surveillance and Response Group	N/A
335SQN AAFC	No. 335 Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets	Australian Air Force Cadets	N/A

DMO UNITS

AEWCSPO Airborne Early Warning Control System Program Office

GTESPO Ground Telecommunications Electronic System Program Office

TFSPO Tactical Fighter System Program Office

See also

• United States Army Air Forces in Australia (World War II)

References

• Business NSW