| RAAF Base Pearce | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullsbrook, north ofPerth,Western Australia in Australia | |||||||||||
 Lineup ofPC-9 aircraft from No 2 FTS at RAAF Base Pearce | |||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||
| Type | Military air base | ||||||||||
| Owner | Department of Defence | ||||||||||
| Operator |  Royal Australian Air Force | ||||||||||
| Website | RAAF Base Pearce | ||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||
  RAAF Base Pearce Location inWestern Australia | |||||||||||
| Coordinates | 31°40′04″S116°00′54″E / 31.66778°S 116.01500°E /-31.66778; 116.01500 | ||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||
| Built | 1936 (1936) – 1939 (1939) | ||||||||||
| In use | 6 February 1939 (1939-02-06) – present | ||||||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||||||
| Occupants | |||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: YPEA | ||||||||||
| Elevation | 46 metres (150 ft)AMSL | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Sources: AustralianAIP, aerodrome chart,[1] and AIS AF[2] | |||||||||||
RAAF Base Pearce (ICAO:YPEA) is the mainRoyal Australian Air Force (RAAF)military air base inWestern Australia, located inBullsbrook, north ofPerth. It is used for training by the RAAF and theRepublic of Singapore Air Force.
Pearce is the busiest RAAF base in Australia, with the highest air traffic includingcivil flights,[3] including civil movements at the Joint User bases. Although its primary role is pilot training, it remains the only permanent RAAF base on the west coast, and thus has a significant logistics role. Pearce also has operational responsibility forRAAF Gingin, a small military airfield used for flying training, located 34 km (21 mi) north of Pearce. When requested by the flying units, a rotation ofair traffic controllers travel from Pearce to Gingin daily to provide services.
Built between 1936 and 1939, RAAF Base Pearce was officially granted "station" status on 6 February 1939.[3] It was named in honour ofSir George Pearce, aSenator from Western Australia. Pearce was elected to the inaugural Senate in 1901 and remained a Senator for Western Australia until 1938. He wasMinister for Defence in four separate ministries including the period 1910 to 1913 when theCentral Flying School was established.[4]
The base opened with two resident squadrons,Nos. 14 and25 Squadrons. DuringWorld War II, No. 5 Initial Training School (ITS) was formed at RAAF Pearce as part of theEmpire Air Training Scheme andNo. 85 Squadron RAAF was stationed. Recruits commenced their military service at the ITS, learning fundamentals such as mathematics, navigation and aerodynamics.[3]
On 10 September 1950 a one-off motor race meeting, called the "Air Force Handicap" was held as a part of an air show.[5] The circuit was triangular in shape, and used all three runways of the base.[6] The feature race was won on handicap by Syd Negus in a Plymouth Special, ahead of Syd Barker in a Ballot V8 and Arthur Collett in anMG TC.[5]
In 1964, Australia and theUnited States agreed to conduct a "Joint Research Program for Studying Aero-Space Disturbances and their Effect on Radio Communications" at the Pearce base.[7][8]
RAAF Base Pearce is used by theAustralian Air Force Cadets as a headquarters and for promotional courses, as well as serving as headquarters for No. 7 Wing and premises for No. 701 Squadron (AAFC).[9]
The base also serves as an anti-hijacking training aid forSpecial Air Service Regimentcounter-terrorism squadron, also known asTactical Assault Group (West). It is used to practise airliner entry and hostage rescue drills. The base is home to a mockup of aBoeing 747 used for this counter-terrorism training.[10] Built in the early 1990s the mockup is slightly smaller than the Boeing 747, includes two non-operational engines and has been painted in the livery of the fictional Emu Airlines.
Since 1993,Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has operated its Flying Training Institute at Pearce.[11] As part of the institute, No. 130 Squadron RSAF operates training aircraft at Pearce.[12]
The 2005 Defence Force Air Show, held at Pearce on 19–20 November, marked the first visit to Perth of theUnited States Air Force (USAF)B-1B Lancer bomber. The 2012 Defence Force Air Show, held at Pearce on 19–20 May, included visits by a USAFB-52 bomber, a USAFKC-135 tanker, an RAAFAEW&C Wedgetail and an RSAFC-130 Hercules.[13]
In 2014, the base was the hub forthe international search of the southernIndian Ocean forMalaysia Airlines Flight 370. It hosted search aircraft from six other nations including aUnited States NavyP-8 Poseidon,P-3 Orions of theRoyal New Zealand Air Force,Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force andRepublic of Korea Navy, andIlyushin Il-76s of the ChinesePeople's Liberation Army Air Force.[14][15][12]
Pearce has sometimes been proposed as the site for a second Perth international airport.[16][17]
The following units are located at RAAF Base Pearce:[18]
| Unit | Full name | Force Element Group | Aircraft | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2FTS | No. 2 Flying Training School | Air Force Training Group | OperatesPC-21 trainers | [19] |
| 25SQN | No. 25 (City of Perth) Squadron | Air Force Training Group | Air Force Reserve | [19] |
| 79SQN | No. 79 Squadron | Air Combat Group | OperatesHawk 127 fighter-trainers | [20] |
| 453SQN | No. 453 Squadron Pearce Flight | Surveillance and Response Group | Air traffic control | [21][22] |
| 1AOSS | No. 1 Airfield Operations Support Squadron Detachment Pearce | Combat Support Group | Airfield engineering | [23] |
| 1EHS | No. 1 Expeditionary Health Squadron Detachment Pearce | Combat Support Group | [23] | |
| 3SFS | No. 3 Security Force Squadron Detachment | Combat Support Group | [23] | |
| Combat Support Unit Pearce | Combat Support Group | Base managers | [24] |
On Monday, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Australian Minister for Defence Marise Payne signed the pact that will allow the RSAF to maintain and operate its Flying Training Institute in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Pearce for another 25 years.
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