A major Defence support capability has its headquarters at RAAF Amberley. Combat Support Group provides flying squadrons with world class air base support critical to the conduct of air operations in Australia and while deployed on missions overseas.
CSG activates and secures air bases, enabling squadrons to operate in potentially hazardous combat-related roles knowing that the air base, wherever it may be in the world, can support the mission rate of effort.
CSG operations focus on three main areas, the ‘sharp end’ of which is providing expeditionary combat support capability, essentially setting up an air base away from fixed air bases. CSG also manages 14 fixed air bases around Australia, providing air base services for flying squadrons to generate and sustain air power.
The third role is to provide the Air Force’s expeditionary health capability; being able to conduct aeromedical evacuations of military and also civilian personnel. This is an important role for CSG, in partnership with the air mobility squadrons: stabilising sick and wounded patients, then flying them out to safety, with medical treatment provided onboard the flight. On-location medical facilities ranging from a first aid section to a mini-hospital with surgical capability can also be established.
The Combat Support solution is considered a world leader in providing organic support air combat operations.
From deployments to East Timor to set up airfields almost 20 years ago to operations in the Middle East for more than a decade, CSG has been at the forefront of base activations and a range of expeditionary combat support services, which is CSG’s core business.
RAAF Amberley is one of the bases supported by CSG, with more than 7000 personnel expected to be on-base by the end of the decade.
CSG’s 25 units spread across Australia and at Butterworth in Malaysia maintain a close relationship with the flying squadrons.
The previous Commander of CSG, Air Commodore Scott Winchester said, “Our focus for the future is to maintain continuing capability in our three primary roles and to ensure that we keep pace with what we call our ‘5th Generation Air Force’, with the new and advanced aircraft and systems being introduced into service.
“We are determined that our air base capabilities keep pace with our capabilities in the air, that our services are modernised, digitised and synchronised with the new combat air capabilities.”
