25 June 2025
RAAF Base Williamtown welcomed 17 members of the NSW Police Force for a base visit this month.
The visit included a brief at 77 Squadron, a static display of the F-35A Lightning II aircraft, and visits to 4 Squadron, 26 Squadron Fire Section, 26 Squadron Security Flight and military working dogs.
For one lucky officer, there was a passenger ride in a PC-21 Pilatus aircraft from 4 Squadron.
Commander Air Combat Group, Air Commodore Peter Robinson, provided the delegation with a brief on the history of Air Combat Group and RAAF Base Williamtown.
“We were proud to host the Newcastle City Police team on their visit to RAAF Base Williamtown,” Air Commodore Robinson said.
“The relationship between the Newcastle City Police and RAAF Base Williamtown is an important one.
“Many of the people who work on base live in Newcastle, and are members of the local Newcastle community.
"Newcastle City Police work tirelessly to serve the local community, and hosting them was our way of showing our thanks for their continual and dedicated hard work to make our communities a better place to live in.”
Flight Lieutenant Jaisal Pal, of 77 Squadron hosted the NSW Police Force members on the visit, and highlighted the importance of building on these existing relationships.
“Both the Air Force and the Police work in similar areas, and often side-by-side in the call out for assistance, such as Flood emergencies and during the global pandemic,” Flight Lieutenant Pal said.
“The Air Force and Police have a close relationship and share similar experiences and duties in serving the Australian public. As a result, it was a good opportunity to provide a learning opportunity for both parties and to strengthen our relations.”
Newcastle City Police District Inspector Mark Lawson attended the visit with his team.
What stood out for him during the visit was being up close and personal with the aircraft and meeting the Defence personnel.
'Many RAAF personnel live in the Newcastle area, making it important for us to have strong relationships.'
“Personally, the highlight of the visit was being up close to some of the incredible aircraft. ,” Inspector Lawson said.
“Being from Newcastle, we often see jets fly over and are proud that they are part of our town's culture. To be so close to them, hear about some of the technologies they have on board, and meet the pilots and supporting personnel was a definite highlight.
“It was also excellent to see the strengthening of relationships between local police and Air Force personnel. One of our officers was also lucky enough to experience a flight in a PC-21 aircraft, which is a highlight she will never forget.”
He highlighted that the visit was a fantastic opportunity to strengthen the relationship between police and RAAF Base Williamtown, whilst also proving a great teamwork bonding day for the police.
“RAAF Williamtown is in a neighbouring command; however, many RAAF personnel live in the Newcastle area, making it important for us to have strong relationships,” Inspector Lawson said.
“Close collaboration ensures better coordination during community events, training days, and multi-agency operational incidents when they arise. This leads to more efficient and effective responses to emergencies and other situations requiring joint efforts.
“We are grateful to the entire team at RAAF Williamtown – particularly the senior leadership team – for hosting our officers and taking time out of their busy schedules to highlight some of the very important work they do.”
