RAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base located north of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. The base serves as the headquarters to both the Air Combat Group and the Surveillance and Response Group of the RAAF.

The base operates a single runway which is shared with Newcastle Airport with the Department of Defence leasing rights to use the runway.

History RAAF Station Williamtown was established on 15 February 1941 to provide protection for the strategic port and steel manufacturing facilities in Newcastle.Government administration and defence Newcastle and the Hunter Region 2008–2009 Hunter Valley Research Foundation The base originally had four runways, each in length to meet the needs of the Williamtown Flying School. The school consisted of 62 buildings which accommodated 366 officers and men.

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 and was equipped with squadrons of Gloster Meteor and CAC Sabre fighters.Meteor Jets Arrive Newcastle Herald 22 December 1954 page 3Under pressure Australian Aviation issue 253 September 2008 pages 30-34

In 1961, the squadron of Meteors were replaced with the Dassault Mirage IIIs. On-base facilities were gradually expanded post war and through until the late 1960s.

In 1983, the role of Williamtown was upgraded to a tactical fighter base in preparation of the replacement of the Mirages with 75 F/A-18 Hornets in 1989.$100m project at RAAF base Canberra Times 7 February 1983 page 8Airbase upgrade to cost $106m Engineers Australia 1 April 1983 page 29 The following year, Williamtown became headquarters for the Tactical Fighter group and acquired new headquarter buildings, hangars, workshops, stores, medical facilities and a base chapel.

Base Activity RAAF Williamtown has several aircraft operating within it, including Boeing E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft, F-35A Multirole Fighter, Hawk 127 Trainer, and PC-21 Trainer aircraft all operated by various squadrons. Williamtown formerly operated F/A-18 Hornets and Pilatus PC-9 Trainers.

RAAF Base Williamtown has sporting fields, recreation facilities, cinema and a fortnightly newspaper. RAAF Williamtown is the home to Fighter World, a museum dedicated to Australian fighter aircraft.

In 2014, the Australian Government announced that Williamtown would be the home base for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters; the first of which arrived in December 2018, and entered service with the RAAF in 2020. Redevelopment works to prepare the base for the F-35, including a 2000 ft runway extension, began in January 2015. This runway extension allows fighters to take off without the use of their afterburners, minimising noise for local communities. Fifty-six of the seventy-two F35s will be based at Williamtown.

The use of firefighting chemicals over a sustained period has resulted in contamination of the groundwater in the area surrounding the base, with residents initiating a class action lawsuit and expressing ongoing concern in national media over the impact on their properties. Nationally, there are 90 sites impacted by PFAS contamination, with more internationally.

Units

The following units are located at RAAF Base Williamtown: Unit Full name Force Element GroupWing Aircraft Notes 1ATS DET WLM No. 1 Air Terminal Squadron Detachment Williamtown Combat Support GroupN/A 1CCS DET WLM No. 1 Combat Communications Squadron Detachment Williamtown Combat Support GroupN/A 1RSUNo. 1 Remote Sensor UnitSurveillance and Response GroupN/A 1SECFOR No. 1 Security Forces Squadron Combat Support GroupN/A 2SQN No. 2 Squadron Surveillance and Response Group42 E-7A 2EHS No. 2 Expeditionary Health Squadron Combat Support GroupN/A 2OCU No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit Air Combat Group81 F-35A 3SQN No. 3 Squadron Air Combat Group81 F-35A 4SQN No. 4 Squadron Air Combat Group78 PC-21 3CRU No. 3 Control and Reporting Unit Surveillance and Response GroupN/A 26SQN No. 26 (City of Newcastle) Squadron Combat Support GroupN/AAirbase operations HQ453SQN Headquarters No. 453 Squadron Surveillance and Response GroupN/A 453SQN WLM FLT No. 453 Squadron Williamtown Flight Surveillance and Response GroupN/A 76SQN No. 76 Squadron Air Combat Group78 BAE-Hawk 127 77SQN No. 77 Squadron Air Combat Group81 F-35A 278SQN No. 278 Squadron Air Combat GroupN/A 381ECSS No. 381 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron Combat Support GroupN/A Contingency operations CSU-WLM Combat Support Unit – Williamtown Combat Support GroupN/A HQ41WG Headquarters No. 41 Wing Surveillance and Response GroupN/A HQ42WG Headquarters No. 42 Wing Surveillance and Response GroupN/A HQ44WG Headquarters No. 44 Wing Surveillance and Response GroupN/A HQ78WG Headquarters No. 78 Wing Air Combat GroupN/A HQ81WG Headquarters No. 81 Wing Air Combat GroupN/A HQACG Headquarters Air Combat Group Air Combat GroupN/A HQSRG Surveillance and Response Group Surveillance and Response GroupN/A SACTU Surveillance and Control Training Unit Surveillance and Response GroupN/A 335SQN AAFC No. 335 Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets Australian Air Force CadetsN/A AEWCSPO Airborne Early Warning Control System Program Office Capability Acquisition and Sustainment GroupN/A GTESPO Ground Telecommunications Equipment Systems Program Office Capability Acquisition and Sustainment GroupN/A TFSPO Tactical Fighter System Program Office Capability Acquisition and Sustainment GroupN/A

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