# 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 testing of existing and new Air Force aircraft. ARDU consists of three test and evaluation flights (TEFs) located at RAAF Bases Edinburgh, Amberley and Williamtown, staffed by qualified test pilots, flight test engineers (engineer graduates of test pilot school) and flight test system specialists (air combat officer graduates of test pilot school). ARDU also conducted flight testing for the Australian Army until 2016, with Army personnel working within the unit.
The unit's flight test aircrew are long course trained at international 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.
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 Group.
ARDU often collaborates with sister AWC/TED unit Air Warfare Engineering Squadron (AWESQN). It also maintains close professional association with the other ADF flight test organisations, the Army Aviation Test and Evaluation Section (AATES) of the Army Aviation Training Centre (AAvnTC) located at Oakey, and the Navy's Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Trials Unit (AMAFTU) located at Nowra.
ARDU is now located at RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide, South Australia, RAAF Base Williamtown near Newcastle, New South Wales, 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 Aerospace Operational Support Group (AOSG) (which later became Air Warfare Centre (AWC)), which incorporated several additional operational support roles including those relating to flight test.
On 14 Jan 2013, ARDU established an outpost at Amberley, followed by Williamtown and Richmond. Richmond was ultimately absorbed by Amberley.

## 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 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 |
| Wing Commander M. Noblet | 07 January 2019 |
| Wing Commander S. Barter | 04 January 2021 |
| Wing Commander D. Dow | 01 January 2024 |