Air Mobility Group (AMG) aviators marched on the tarmac at RAAF Base Richmond on December 10 to farewell the outgoing Commander AMG Air Commodore Bradley Clarke.

The change of command ceremony marked the end of a three-year tenure, as Air Commodore Clarke handed over command to incoming Commander AMG Air Commodore Benjamin Poxon.

Air Commodore Clarke joined the Air Force in 1995 and began training as a navigator. He has held a broad range of positions throughout his career, both in Australia and abroad, including an exchange posting with the United States Air Force and deployments to the Middle East. 

Air Commodore Clarke has a long history of postings within AMG, commencing his post as Commander AMG on December 12, 2022. 

“AMG is a unique ADF element – it operates at 100 per cent all of the time, and the AMG teams are often the unsung heroes that enable the deployment, sustainment and force projection of the ADF. AMG has worked hard these past three years to continue to deliver global air mobility in support of our nation,” Air Commodore Clarke said. 

“In my time as Commander AMG, we have had some remarkable achievements. These things are only possible through the exceptional dedication and professionalism of everyone involved.”

'I leave this role proud of what has been accomplished and confident that I am handing over a FEG that is prepared for what may come.'

Some of the highlights across the Force Element Group (FEG) over the last three years include:

• Achieving almost 70,000 flying hours.
• More than 20,000 task requests and 15,000 tasks executed.
• More than 370 missions completed in support of global joint operations.
• Seventeen humanitarian assistance and disaster response missions.

AMG is one of the largest FEGs within Air Force, and the AMG fleet comprises KC-30A multi-role tanker transports, C-17A Globemasters, C-130J Hercules, C-27J Spartans, Boeing Business Jets and Falcon F7Xs. 

These aircraft work collaboratively to deliver a wide range of military support for the movement of personnel, cargo and fuel across the globe, including aeromedical evacuation, air-to-air refuelling, aerial resupply and insertion, air logistics support, joint personnel recovery and VIP transport.

Air Commodore Clarke’s next post is Director General Preparedness – Air Force. 

“I leave this role proud of what has been accomplished, and confident that I am handing over a FEG that is prepared for what may come, is ready to respond quickly, and has the resilience to endure and succeed, whatever hardships may present,” Air Commodore Clarke said.

“I hand over a team that is committed and focused to a new commander who I have absolute confidence is the right person to take the solid foundation we have built and take the FEG to where it needs to go next.”