Aircraft Research and Development Unit RAAF

The Royal Australian Air Force's Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) plans, conducts and analyses the results of ground and flight tests of existing and new Air Force aircraft. ARDU consists of four flights located at RAAF Bases Edinburgh, Amberley, Richmond and Williamtown, staffed by qualified test pilots, flight test engineers and flight test system specialists. Up until 2016 the Squadron also conducted flight test for the Australian Army with Army personnel also working within the unit. The flight test crew are long course trained at test pilot schools including the United States Air Force Test Pilot School, the United States Naval Test Pilot School, the Empire Test Pilots' School, the École du personnel navigant d'essais et de réception and the National Test Pilot School.

Aircraft Research and Development Unit
Active	1943 – Present
Country	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Role	Test and evaluation
Part of	Air Warfare Centre Development and Test Wing
Garrison/HQ	RAAF Base Edinburgh and Detachment at RAAF Base Amberley
Motto(s)	Prove to Accomplish
Aircraft	Pilatus PC-9, Pilatus PC-21[1] and F/A-18 Hornet
Commanders
Current commander	Wing Commander D. Rich
Notable commanders	J.A. Rowland (1959) M.A. Skidmore (2000–02) D.J. Fawcett (2003–04)
Insignia
Callsigns	TESTER and DELTA (for formations)

An F/A-18B Hornet assigned to ARDU

ARDU was the last RAAF unit to use the Douglas C-47

An ARDU Pilatus PC-9

The client base for ARDU encompasses the Air Mobility Group, Air Combat Group, Surveillance and Response Group, Air Force Training Group, and Defence Science and Technology Organisation.

ARDU is now located at RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide, South Australia, and RAAF Base Amberley near Brisbane, Queensland.

History

Originally the formation of the Special Duties and Performance Flight (SDPF) was established in December 1941 at Laverton, Victoria. The unit was reformed as No 1 Air Performance Unit (1 APU) in December 1943, the Unit was responsible for carrying out flight trials of new aircraft as well as aircraft modifications. During World War 2, flying trials included Spitfire, Beaufighter and Boomerang performance tests, as well as evaluations on various aircraft modifications including gun, radar and bombsight installations. In addition, the Unit carried out performance tests on captured Japanese 'Oscar' and 'Tony' fighters. Following the War the Unit was involved in tests on the CA-15 prototype, a Meteor Mk3, Lincoln bomber and De-Havilland Sea Hornet.

The unit was renamed Aircraft Research and Development Unit in September 1947, with detachments operating in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. In October 1948 ARDU moved back to Laverton with Detachment A at Mallalla, South Australia and Detachment B at Richmond, New South Wales and Detachment C at Edinburgh, South Australia.

By February 1977, all ARDU detachments had relocated to Edinburgh, South Australia, from where it continues its vital role of testing and evaluating both aircraft and weaponry in the RAAF inventory. In 2003, ARDU was re-formed into the Air Warfare Centre (AWC), incorporating several additional operational support roles including those relating to flight testing. On 14 Jan 2013, ARDU established a detachment at Amberley, Queensland.

ARDU Pilatus PC-21

Commanding officers

Commanding officer	Date of appointment
Squadron Leader J.H. Harper	1 December 1943
Squadron Leader D.R. Cuming	1 May 1944
Flight Lieutenant A.I. Barret	26 January 1945
Wing Commander J.H. Harper AFC	21 March 1946
Wing Commander G.D Marchall AFC	1 December 1947
Wing Commander F.J.P. Wood	30 April 1951
Wing Commander D.R. Cuming OBE, AFC Bar	14 January 1952
Wing Commander J.R. Lavers AFC, AFM (T)	9 May 1953
Wing Commander D.R. Cuming OBE, AFC Bar	21 December 1953
Wing Commander G.H.N. Shiells DFC, AFC	9 April 1956
Wing Commander J.A. Rowland DFC, AFC (T)	19 January 1959
Group Captain I.F.D. Rose AFC	20 April 1959
Group Captain P.A. Parker DFC	1 August 1960
A/Group Captain L.H. Williamson	20 December 1963
Wing Commander W.S. McAloney GC, OBE (T)	11 November 1966
Group Captain J.P. Graney AFC	27 February 1967
Group Captain J.D. Espie DFC	10 February 1969
A/Wing Commander R.G. Green AFC (T)	1 March 1971
Group Captain J.W. Newham	4 October 1971
Wing Commander A.G. Cairns (T)	29 November 1971
Group Captain R.N. Law	18 January 1972
Wing Commander J.L. Thomson	30 July 1975
Group Captain D.G. Cameron DFC	12 January 1976
Group Captain R.G. Green AFC	10 December 1979
Group Captain M.E. McDonald	21 March 1983
Group Captain R.V. Richardson AFC	23 December 1985
Group Captain K.J. Bricknell AM	4 January 1988
Group Captain N.J. Ford	22 December 1989
Group Captain M.A. Skidmore	15 December 2000
Group Captain S.J. Fielder AM	13 December 2002
Lieutenant Colonel D.J. Fawcett	26 July 2003
Wing Commander T.J. Saunder	19 January 2004
Wing Commander S.W. Young	4 November 2004
Wing Commander M.R. Walmsley	7 January 2007
Squadron Leader R.J. Denney	26 February 2007
Wing Commander A.P. Jonas	7 May 2007
Wing Commander R.L. Bender	10 January 2011
Wing Commander A.E. Figtree	1 November 2012
Wing Commander D.D.J. Rich	11 January 2016

Aircraft operated by the SDPF and 1 APU only 1941 to 1947 (Pre ARDU)

Spitfire (1944–1947)[2] Anson[3] Oxford[4] Norseman[5] Beaufort[6] Beaufighter[7][8] Boomerang (1943-1946)[9] Woomera (1942-1945)[10]

Lancer (1943)[11] Shrike (1943–1944)[12] Hurricane (1943)[13] Hudson[14] Ventura[15] Liberator (1944-1947)[16]

Fixed wing aircraft operated by ARDU

Wirraway (1943-1957)[17] Mustang (1944-19XX)[18] Mosquito (1944-51)[19] Lincoln (1947–1959)[20] Chipmunk VH-BFT (1948–1949)[21] Drover VH-DHA (1948–1949)[22] Meteor (1946–1956)[23] Dakota (1948–2000)[24] Sikorsky S-51 A80-1 (1948–1951)[25] Viking A82-1 (1948–1951)[26] Vampire (1948–1970)[27] Sea Hornet TT213 (1948–1951)[28] Freighter A81-1 (1949)[29] Winjeel A85-364 (1951–19XX)[30] Jindivik (1953–1955)[31] Prince A90-1 (1953–1954)[32] Beaver A95-201 (1955–1958)[33]

Canberra (1954–1981)[34] Avro 707A WD280 (1956–1963)[35] Sabre (1955–1971)[36] Firefly T5 VX373 (1957)[37] Cessna 180 (1966–1967)[38] Mirage (1963–1988)[39] Macchi (1969–20XX)[40] CT-4 (1975–1993)[41] Nomad (1975–1991)[42] F/A-18 Hornet (1988-Present)[43] F-111C A8-132 (1996–2XXX)[44] King Air 200 VH-OYA (1999–20XX)[45] PC-9a (1999-Present)[46] KC-30A A39-003 (2011)[47] PC-21 (2018-Present)[48]

Rotary wing aircraft operated by ARDU

Sycamore (1951–1954)[49] Kiowa (1971–20XX)[50] Iroquois (1977–2007)[51]

Squirrel (1984–2006)[52] Black Hawk (1987–2013)[53] Tiger (2005)[54]

See also

• MoD Boscombe Down
• Air Force Test Center
• Flight Test Society of Australia

References

• Air Force News Into the future
• RAAF Aeronautical Research and Development Unit

1. https://airforcesmonthly.keypublishing.com/2018/02/23/first-pc-21-for-raafs-aircraft-research-and-development-unit/
2. "ADF Serials - Spitfire". www.adf-serials.com.au.
3. "ADF Serials - Anson". www.adf-serials.com.au.
4. "ADF Serials - Oxford". www.adf-serials.com.au.
5. "ADF Serials - Norseman". www.adf-serials.com.au.
6. "ADF Serials - Beaufort". www.adf-serials.com.au.
7. "ADF Serials - Bristol Beaufighter". www.adf-serials.com.au.
8. "ADF Serials - DAP Beaufighter". www.adf-serials.com.au.
9. "ADF Serials - Boomerang". www.adf-serials.com.au.
10. "ADF Serials - Woomera". www.adf-serials.com.au.
11. "ADF Serials - Shrike". www.adf-serials.com.au.
12. "ADF Serials - Shrike". www.adf-serials.com.au.
13. "ADF Serials - Hurricane". www.adf-serials.com.au.
14. "ADF Serials - Hudson". www.adf-serials.com.au.
15. "ADF Serials - Ventura". www.adf-serials.com.au.
16. "ADF Serials - Liberator". www.adf-serials.com.au.
17. (1943-1957)"ADF Serials - Wirraway". www.adf-serials.com.au.
18. "ADF Serials - Mustang". www.adf-serials.com.au.
19. "ADF Serials - Mosquito". www.adf-serials.com.au.
20. "ADF Serials - Lincoln". www.adf-serials.com.au.
21. "ADF Serials - Otter". www.adf-serials.com.au.
22. "ADF Serials - Drover". www.adf-serials.com.au.
23. "ADF Serials - Meteor". www.adf-serials.com.au.
24. "ADF-Serials - Dakota". www.adf-serials.com.au.
25. "ADF-Serials - Dragonfly". www.adf-serials.com.au.
26. "ADF Serials - Viking". www.adf-serials.com.au.
27. "ADF-Serials - Vampire". www.adf-serials.com.au.
28. "ADF Serials - Sea Hornet". www.adf-serials.com.au.
29. "ADF Serials - Freighter". www.adf-serials.com.au.
30. "ADF Serials - Winjeel". www.adf-serials.com.au.
31. "ADF Serials - Jindivik". www.adf-serials.com.au.
32. "ADF Serials - Prince". www.adf-serials.com.au.
33. "ADF Serials - Beaver". www.adf-serials.com.au.
34. "ADF Serials - Canberra". www.adf-serials.com.au.
35. "ADF Serials - Avro 707A". www.adf-serials.com.au.
36. "ADF Serials - CAC Sabre". www.adf-serials.com.au.
37. "ADF-Serials - Firefly". www.adf-serials.com.au.
38. "ADF Serials - Cessna 180". www.adf-serials.com.au.
39. "ADF Serials - Mirage III". www.adf-serials.com.au.
40. "ADF Serials - Macchi MB-326H". www.adf-serials.com.au.
41. "ADF Serials - CT/4". www.adf-serials.com.au.
42. "ADF Serials - Nomad". www.adf-serials.com.au.
43. "ADF Serials - F/A-18A&B Hornet". www.adf-serials.com.au.
44. "ADF Serials - F-111". www.adf-serials.com.au.
45. "ADF Serials - King Air". www.adf-serials.com.au.
46. "ADF Serials - Pilatus Pc-9a". www.adf-serials.com.au.
47. "ADF Serials - Airbus MRTT". www.adf-serials.com.au.
48. "ADF Serials - Pilatus PC-21". www.adf-serials.com.
49. "ADF Serials - Sycamore". www.adf-serials.com.au.
50. "ADF Serials - Kiowa". www.adf-serials.com.au.
51. "ADF Serials - Iroquois". www.adf-serials.com.au.
52. "ADF Serials - Squirrel". www.adf-serials.com.au.
53. "ADF Serials - Blackhawk". www.adf-serials.com.au.
54. "ADF Serials - Tiger ARH". www.adf-serials.com.au.

External links

• Society of Experimental Test Pilots
• Society of Flight Test Engineers
• Flight Test Society of Australia