Up to 35 aircraft will take part in a 'dawn strike' at Williamtown RAAF Base on Friday as the Air Force's newest air warfare instructors return home from Exercise Diamond Storm in the Northern Territory.
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The dawn strike exercise is the culmination of the intensive air warfare instructors' course and represents the pilots and Air Combat Officers' final mission prior to graduating.
Exercise Diamond Storm formally ends with the return of all personnel and aircraft to RAAF Base Williamtown on May 31 for a 'dawn strike' off the coast of Newcastle.
The dawn strike will see fast jet aircraft and big wing aircraft land at Williamtown before graduates receive their patches during an official ceremony.
Up to 27 F/A-18A Hornets, four F/A-18F Super Hornets, two EA-18G Growlers, one C-130J Hercules and an E-7A Wedgetail will return to the Williamtown base in the early hours of Friday morning, flying in formations of up to four fighter jet aircraft. The exercise is expected to be held between 6.30am and 8am.
The air warfare instructor course, which was launched in 2017, is one of the most challenging courses in the Air Force. It is staged across six months in three intensive phases. Exercise Diamond Storm is the final phase in the course.
It involves ground and air-based activities by the RAAF and United States Air Force in the Top End at RAAF bases in Darwin and Tindal.
Exercise Diamond Storm director, Group Captain Matthew McCormack, said the Diamond series of exercises will enhance expertise leading up to the introduction of fifth generation capabilities into the Australian Defence Force.
"The course exercises complex war-like scenarios and the students put their newly developed skills into practice, making decisions which will shape the way Air Force fights in the future," Group Captain McCormack said.
"It has been a very busy month at RAAF Darwin and RAAF Tindal as we reach the conclusion of this specialist course that has tested the candidates in a range of high-end war fighting scenarios."
The series also includes Diamond Seas, which brings together Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and RAAF in maritime scenarios and Diamond Shield, which includes personnel and aircraft from partner nations.
