RAAF Base Glenbrook

RAAF Base Glenbrook (ICAO: YGNB)[1] is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base located in Glenbrook, in the Lower Blue Mountains, approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) west of the Sydney central business district in New South Wales, Australia.

RAAF Base Glenbrook
Glenbrook, New South Wales in Australia
RAAF Base Glenbrook
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates33°45′48″S 150°38′12″E
TypeMilitary air base
Area28 hectares (69 acres)
Site information
Operator Royal Australian Air Force
Site history
In use1948 (1948)  present
Garrison information
Current
commander
Group Captain Kaarin Kooij
GarrisonHeadquarters Air Command
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: YGNB
Elevation195 metres (640 ft) AMSL
Helipads
Number Length and surface
H7 13 metres (43 ft) Asphalt
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[1]

The base serves as home to Headquarters Air Command of the RAAF. There is no airfield although it has a heliport, or helicopter landing site (HLS) and most administrative services are located on the nearby RAAF Base Richmond. Parts of the 28-hectare (69-acre) site are heritage-listed and comprise the Officers' Mess, once the former site of the Lapstone Hotel.[2]

During World War Two, men stationed at the base co-ordinated the stockpiling of mustard gas in the disused Glenbrook railway tunnel.[3]

In 2009 the Minister for Defence, John Faulkner, announced that the base would be closed by 2015, and its command operations transfer to RAAF Base Amberley.[4] Closure has yet to occur.

Units

UnitFull nameForce Element GroupAircraftNotes
HQACHeadquarters Air CommandAir CommandN/A
323SQN No 323 Squadron AAFC Australian Air Force CadetsN/A

See also

References

  1. YGNB – Glenbrook (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 05 Nov 2020
  2. "G030 : Lapstone Hotel (RAAF Base), Former". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment & Heritage, New South Wales Government. 17 January 2000. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  3. Siossian, Emma (10 January 2021). "Rock engraving throws spotlight on Australia's top-secret World War II mustard gas program". ABC.
  4. "RAAF Glenbrook base to close in 2015". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 24 November 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2017.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.