Delamere Air Weapons Range

Bombing range in the Northern Territory, Australia

15°37′S 131°52′E / 15.617°S 131.867°E / -15.617; 131.867TypeBombing rangeArea2,110 square kilometres (810 sq mi)Site informationOwnerDepartment of DefenceOperatorRoyal Australian Air ForceControlled byNo. 322 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron RAAFSite historyBuilt1988 (1988)

Delamere Air Weapons Range is a bombing range operated by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), located in the Northern Territory of Australia. The facility is located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) south of the town of Katherine and RAAF Base Tindal, Australia's largest airbase.^[1]

The Delamere facility is managed round-the-clock by a detachment of eight members of the No. 322 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron RAAF. Its large area—2,110 square kilometres (810 sq mi)^[2]—and 60,000 feet (18,000 m) of vertical airspace clearance allow virtually unrestricted freedom of tactical testing and training using any conventional weapons. In addition to its large mass inert weapon range, Delamere also has two practice ranges for smaller weapons testing, a simulated airfield complex, and a simulated township constructed from shipping containers named "Tac Town".^[3]

Delamere is 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of the larger Bradshaw Field Training Area which has an area of 8,700 square kilometres (3,400 sq mi), and the Department of Defence has considered acquiring land between the two facilities to merge them.^[4] Both areas are used for joint military exercises such as the Australia–United States Exercise Talisman Saber. Delamere is electronically linked with Bradshaw Field and Mount Bundey Training Area to form the North Australian Range Complex.^[5]

The range is served by its own airfield, Delamere Range Facility Airport (ICAO: YDWF).^[6]

References

^ McLennan, Chris (21 August 2020). "Up in a puff of smoke at Delamere". Katherine Times. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
^ "US to drop live bombs on NT in training". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 November 2005. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
^ Liebelt, Simone (11 August 2005). "Australia's premier spot to drop bombs". RAAF News. Royal Australian Air Force. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
^ Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. "Defence Sub-Committee Visit to Defence Establishments in Northern Australia 26–29 July 1999". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
^ "Talisman Saber 2015". AECOM. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
^ "DELAMERE RANGE FACILITY" (PDF). AIP Australia. Retrieved 29 October 2021.