Three Air Affairs (Australia) Learjet 35A Bizjets Arrive into Rockhampton Airport for Exercise Rogue Ambush 2022

On Monday 21 November, three Learjet 35A bizjets flew into Rockhampton Airport presumably to participate in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Exercise Rogue Ambush which kicked off along the Queensland Coast and particularly focused within the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA).  The three aircraft are all flown by Air Affairs (Australia) / Air Affairs Aviation in a support role for the Australian Defence Force.

File photo

Learjet 35A VH-LFA as "Ajax 44" arrived into Rocky from RAAF Base Williamtown, while soon after, Learjet 35A VH-SLD as "Ajax 14" arrived from HMAS Albatross at Nowra.  Later, the third Learjet 35A VH-SLE as "Ajax 42" also arrived from Nowra. 

Of interest, and as mentioned previously, Air Affairs (Australia) was established in 1984 with headquarters based at the Albatross Aviation Technology Park at Nowra in New South Wales.  They have been providing target services, fire surveillance and precision engineering support services to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), other military forces and Governments since 1995.

Since October 2015, Air Affairs (Australia) has been providing specific services to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) under the Jet Air Support Contract which provides Training Support Tasks including Aerial Target Towing and Tactical Flight Missions in various locations across Australia.

Meanwhile, as mentioned below, on Sunday 20 November, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Search and Rescue (CHC Helicopters Australia / Lloyd Helicopters) Agusta AW139 helicopter VH-SYJ as "Choppa 22" arrived into Rockhampton Airport from RAAF Base Williamtown via RAAF Base Amberley to also provide support for the Exercise.

On Monday 21 November, it was noted completing engine runs and local test and familiarisation flights.

Finally, some of the airborne action during Exercise Rogue Ambush that was noted on Monday 21 November, included flights of RAAF Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft as "Hunter" and "Hipshot" operating out of and back to RAAF Base Amberley and within the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA), along with RAAF Airbus A330-200 / KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A39-001 as "Dragon 46" which also operated from Amberley and completed air-to-air refuelling off the Central Queensland coast.

Photo taken by Steve Vit  ©