Australien — Air Force use of Evans Head Air Weapons Range

Chief of Air Force Air Mar­shal (AIRMSHL) Mark Bin­skin today announced that the Air Force had direct­ed a review into future train­ing require­ments at Evans Head.

In recent days there has been sig­nif­i­cant local media cov­er­age regard­ing the future use of Evans Head Air Weapons Range. 

Air Force cur­rent­ly uses the Evans Head range for F‑111 bomb­ing train­ing most week­days. This train­ing involves acti­vat­ing only part of the full Evans Head Air Weapons Range. 

The F‑111s are being replaced with new F/A‑18F Super Hor­nets, which are also based at RAAF Amberley. 

“I have direct­ed that fur­ther con­sid­er­a­tion of reac­ti­vat­ing the range for air to ground gun­nery be sus­pend­ed, pend­ing a total review into future train­ing require­ments at Evans Head,” AIRMSHL Bin­skin said. 

“The review is exam­in­ing the detailed range require­ments for Air Force’s new Super Hornets. 

“Air Force val­ues its rela­tion­ship with the Evans Head com­mu­ni­ty. This review will include exten­sive con­sul­ta­tion with local and state author­i­ties, recre­ation­al groups and indus­try in find­ing a bal­ance between Defence require­ments and com­mu­ni­ty needs.” 

There is no inten­tion to close Evans Head Air Weapons Range. It remains an impor­tant mil­i­tary train­ing facil­i­ty sup­port­ing Australia’s air com­bat capability. 

“Defence’s high­est pri­or­i­ty remains the safe­ty of the pub­lic and the safe and effec­tive con­duct of train­ing,” AIRMSHL Bin­skin said. 

Media con­tact

Defence Media Liai­son 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664 

Press release
Min­is­te­r­i­al Sup­port and Pub­lic Affairs,
Depart­ment of Defence,
Can­ber­ra, Australia