The RAAF’s historic Quantity 12 Squadron has been re-established at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia.
The squadron has been returned to service to enhance Australia’s maritime surveillance functionality and coincide with the arrival of Australia’s thirteenth P-8A Poseidon plane. A ultimate plane is scheduled to reach subsequent 12 months.
“Quantity 12 Squadron has performed a proud function within the historical past of our Air Power and the defence of our nation, a job it’ll proceed from immediately,” in accordance with Chief of Air Power Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, talking to the ABC this week.
The historic Quantity 12 Squadron was initially fashioned in 1939 as a Royal Australian Air Power normal objective, bomber and transport squadron. Its members noticed fight within the South West Pacific theatre of World Warfare II whereas conducting maritime patrols off northern Australia within the early Nineteen Forties and have been primarily based at Merauke in western New Guinea from November 1943 to July 1944 earlier than working as a heavy bomber unit from February 1945 till the top of the struggle.
The squadron was beforehand reformed in 1973 to function transport helicopters earlier than being ultimately disbanded in 1989.
Earlier this month, the RAAF deployed a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane and its crew to Japan underneath Operation Argos.
Working from Kadena Air Base, that plane will undertake coordinated surveillance missions to discourage and disrupt unlawful maritime exercise by monitoring and recording ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned items at sea.
The plane is deployed to assist the enforcement of United Nations Safety Council (UNSC) sanctions on North Korea.
Since 2006, the UNSC has handed almost a dozen resolutions imposing sanctions in opposition to North Korea for creating nuclear weapons and associated actions.
“Via Operation Argos, the Australian Defence Power continues to play a significant function in sustaining peace and safety within the Indo-Pacific, working alongside our worldwide companions to implement UNSC sanctions,” Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones mentioned.
“Australia stays dedicated to implementing United Nations Safety Council sanctions in opposition to North Korea till it takes concrete steps in the direction of denuclearisation.
“Our deployment reinforces Australia’s sturdy dedication to uphold worldwide legislation and assist the rules-based world order.”
