RMAF Butterworth () is an active
Air Force Station of the
Royal Malaysian Air Force
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF, ; Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ) was formed on 2 June 1958 as the Royal Federation of Malaya Air Force (; ). However, its roots can be traced back to the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force formations of the British Royal A ...
(RMAF) situated from
Butterworth in
Penang
Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Th ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
. It is currently home to the ''Headquarters Integrated Area Defence System'' (HQIADS), part of the
Five Power Defence Arrangements
The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) are a series of bilateral defence relationships established by a series of multi-lateral agreements between Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, all of which are Commonwe ...
(FPDA).
The airfield was originally known as RAF Station Butterworth and later as RAAF Butterworth, under the operational commands of the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
(RAF) and the
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
(RAAF) respectively. Although the airfield is now a RMAF base, under the terms of the FPDA the RAAF are a co-tenant of the base, maintaining an operational presence in the region alongside the RMAF squadrons.
The airfield and associated base facilities are colloquially referred to as ''Butterworth''.
History
RAF Butterworth
An airfield at Butterworth was originally established in 1939 by the RAF on a “care and maintenance” basis. In October 1941, RAF Butterworth was officially opened as part of Britain's
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
plans for defending the Malayan Peninsula against the threat of invasion by the
Imperial Japanese forces.
During the Japanese
invasion of Malaya in December 1941, the airfield came under attack from aircraft of the
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
The (IJNAS) was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). The organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War.
The Japanese military acquired its first aircraft in ...
and suffered damage from the
Mitsubishi G3M and
Mitsubishi G4M
The Mitsubishi G4M is a twin-engine, land-based medium bomber formerly manufactured by the Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and operated by the Air Service (IJNAS) of the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to ...
bombers. Obsolete RAF
Brewster Buffalo
The Brewster F2A Buffalo is an American fighter aircraft which saw service early in World War II. Designed and built by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, it was one of the first U.S. monoplanes with an arrestor hook and other modification ...
fighters based at the airfield took to the air to engage the escorting Mitsubishi
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range Carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) ...
fighters but suffered heavy losses against the highly trained and experienced Japanese
fighter pilot
A fighter pilot or combat pilot is a Military aviation, military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, Air-to-ground weaponry, air-to-ground combat and sometimes Electronic-warfare aircraft, electronic warfare while in the cockpit of ...
s. The airfield was captured by the advancing
25th Army on 20 December 1941 and remained under the control of the
Imperial Japanese Army
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
until September 1945. Following cessation of hostilities the RAF resumed control of the airfield and Japanese prisoners of war were put to work repairing the runways and making general improvements to the airfield. RAF air operations resumed in May 1946.
[
From 1948 to 1963 RAF, RAAF and ]Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF; ) is the aerial warfare, aerial military service, service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed initially in 1923 as a branch of the New Zealand Army, being known as the New Zealand Perm ...
(RNZAF) units were stationed at the airfield as part of the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve. During the Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War, was a guerrilla warfare, guerrilla war fought in Federation of Malaya, Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Arm ...
from 1950 these units played an active role against the communist insurgency by attacking suspected jungle hideouts of the communist guerrillas. During this time the airfield also hosted various units on rotation from RAF Changi, RAF Kuala Lumpur, RAF Kuantan, RAF Seletar and RAF Tengah. The base was also used by RAF aircraft transiting from bases in the Indian Ocean ( RAF Gan in the Maldives), Middle East (RAF Khormaksar
Royal Air Force Khormaksar or more simply RAF Khormaksar is a former Royal Air Force station in Aden, Yemen. Its motto was "Into the Remote Places". During the 1960s, it was the base for nine squadrons and became the RAF's busiest-ever station ...
in Aden) and Mediterranean (RAF Akrotiri
Royal Air Force Akrotiri, commonly abbreviated RAF Akrotiri (; ) is a large Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which comprise Akroti ...
in Cyprus) en route to other bases in the Far East region, such as Singapore, North Borneo and Hong Kong.[
]
RAF units that were stationed at Butterworth during the Emergency included:
* No. 20 Squadron equipped with the Hunter
Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, ...
FGA.9
* No. 45 Squadron equipped with the Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
FB.1/4 and later Canberra
Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...
B.15
* No. 60 Squadron equipped with the Javelin
A javelin is a light spear designed primarily to be thrown, historically as a ranged weapon. Today, the javelin is predominantly used for sporting purposes such as the javelin throw. The javelin is nearly always thrown by hand, unlike the sling ...
FAW Mk 9
* No. 81 Squadron equipped with the Canberra PR.7
In 1957 the RAF closed the station, with control formally passing to the RAAF the following year, although the property itself remained under RAF ownership.
RAAF Butterworth
Following closure of RAF Butterworth in 1957, control was formally transferred to the RAAF on 30 June 1958. The station was originally renamed RAAF Station Butterworth and later RAAF Butterworth and was the RAAF's first permanent major air base outside of Australia in the post-WW2 era. The base was home to numerous Australian fighter and bomber squadrons stationed in Malaya during the Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
era. During the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
the base provided aircraft and maintenance personnel in support of deployments and also provided medical and transport support facilities.
At its peak in the 1970s the base was home to almost 5,000 Australian personnel and their families, but as at 2007 this has dwindled down to a permanent staff of just 40 RAAF personnel and 126 from the Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...
(although the average number deployed at the base during annual exercises is around 700). The RAAF also employs 75 local civilian staff.
Two notable RAAF fighter units stationed at the base were No. 3 Squadron RAAF and No. 77 Squadron RAAF which saw service with their CAC Sabre
The CAC Sabre, sometimes known as the Avon Sabre or CA-27, is an Australian variant of the North American Aviation F-86F Sabre fighter aircraft. The F-86F was redesigned and built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). Equipping five R ...
s during the Malayan Emergency through the confrontation with Indonesia. From August 1964 onward, these Sabre jets responded on several occasions to approaches by MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet aircraft, jet fighter aircraft, fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan, Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB, Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nicknames in ...
fighter jets of the Indonesian Air Force
The Indonesian Air Force (, sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF) is the Air force, aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Indonesian Air Force is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is headed by the Chief of Staff of th ...
towards Malaysian airspace
Airspace is the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere. It is not the same as outer space which is t ...
, but the Indonesian aircraft always turned back before crossing the international boundary, thereby averting possible conflict. Another notable unit was No. 2 Squadron RAAF which arrived at Butterworth in July 1958. Flying Canberra
Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...
bombers, the squadron flew missions immediately after arriving including formation bombing runs against Communist guerrilla targets, and remained at Butterworth until 1967 when it moved to Phan Rang Air Base in Vietnam.[
]
During this period, No. 33 Squadron RAF was stationed at Butterworth to provide ground to air defence with Bloodhound
The bloodhound is a large scent hound, originally bred for hunting deer, wild boar, rabbits, and since the Middle Ages, for tracking people. Believed to be descended from hounds once kept at the Abbey of Saint-Hubert, Belgium, in French it is ...
missiles. No. 20 Squadron RAF with Hunter
Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, ...
FGA.9 aircraft were detached here as also were RAF Vulcans and Canberras. No. 52 Squadron RAF provided air supply support to ground troops and police working in the Malaysian Peninsular jungle areas with their Valetta C2 twin engine aircraft along with RAF Single and Twin Pioneer aircraft. 52 Squadron also provided air support to units working in the Borneo jungle areas. The RAF also provided air-sea rescue
Air-sea rescue (ASR or A/SR, also known as sea-air rescue), and aeronautical and maritime search and rescue (AMSAR) by the ICAO and International Maritime Organization, IMO, is the coordinated search and rescue (SAR) of the survivors of emergenc ...
helicopters (Whirlwinds
A whirlwind is a phenomenon in which a vortex of wind (a vertically oriented rotating column of air) forms due to instabilities and turbulence created by heating and flow ( current) gradients. Whirlwinds can vary in size and last from a cou ...
) and Rescue & Range Safety Launches (RTTL & RSL) from ''RAF Glugor'' on Penang Island. Other RAF aircraft seen regularly included Britannia
The image of Britannia () is the national personification of United Kingdom, Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used by the Romans in classical antiquity, the Latin was the name variously appli ...
, Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
and Andover
Andover may refer to:
Places Australia
*Andover, Tasmania
Canada
* Andover Parish, New Brunswick
* Perth-Andover, New Brunswick
United Kingdom
* Andover, Hampshire, England
** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station
United States
* Andov ...
transports and RAF Victor tankers when transiting fighter aircraft such as Lightnings through to Singapore.[
No. 75 Squadron RAAF arrived at Butterworth with the Mirage IIIOs on 18 May 1967, replacing 3 Squadron who returned to Australia to themselves re-equip with the Mirage. 3 Squadron returned in February 1969 - replacing 77 Squadron - with both squadrons also alternating responsibility for the detachment at RAF Tengah in Singapore. 75 Squadron remained at Butterworth until it was withdrawn to RAAF Darwin in October 1983, with 3 Squadron following to RAAF Williamtown in 1986. A number of former 3 Squadron aircraft and personnel remained at Butterworth and were formed as No. 79 Squadron RAAF, until they finally departed in May 1988.][
As of October 2008, the ]Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...
continues to maintain a presence at Butterworth as part of Australia's commitment to the FPDA, with No. 19 Squadron RAAF of the Combat Support Group (No. 95 Wing) and a detachment of AP-3C Orion aircraft from No. 92 Wing RAAF being located at the airfield, along with various units from the Australian Army.
RAAF Club
In January 1962 the RAAF Club opened at 10 Tanjung Tokong in Penang to provide social and sporting facilitates for RAAF personnel and their families during their stay at Butterworth. At its peak it provided for over 800 families, as well as those of Australian government public servants stationed in Malaysia.
The centre originally operated as a hostel with a total of 72 rooms and later included the Penang Health Centre and the Penang Housing Section. It also housed chaplains, the Public Health Section, RAAF police, Supervisor RAAF Centre and the transport office. A convenience store, barber and hairdresser, gift shop, library, post office and a travel bureau also provided services to the club's members.
In the 1980s the number of RAAF personnel serving at Butterworth was reduced which led to the closure of the RAAF Club. A new and smaller club was later established for the families who lived permanently in Penang.
RAAF School
Increasing numbers of RAAF officers and airmen serving at Butterworth during the 1950s required the provision of schooling for their dependants. In October 1958, the Department of Air established a permanent school in Penang Island, leasing 8 Residency Road as a primary school for children up to year eight. Teaching staff for the school were selected from the Department of Education of New South Wales and Victoria. Later, 4 Residency Road was leased for an infants’ school and 10 Residency Road as a secondary school. The number of enrolments rose to 289 infants, 345 primary and 102 secondary students.
As the number of personnel serving at Butterworth increased the Residency Road schools became crowded and inadequate, and work began to build a bigger school. On 30 March 1962 the RAAF School on Jalan Azyzeat Hillside Penang was completed and officially opened on 9 May 1962. The school consisted of three main buildings, an assembly hall and an attap hut for infants. In September 1965, a new attap hut was built for primary students. Enrolments peaked at around 1,100 in 1977.
The reduction in the RAAF's presence at Butterworth in 1988 led to the school's closure, with the high school closing at the end of 1987 and the primary and infants' schools in mid-1988, with the remaining students now attending the nearby international schools in Penang. The former RAAF School building are now used as the RMAF training facility and administration centre.[
]
Rifle Company Butterworth
Since the early 1970s a rifle company
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 100–250 soldiers and usually commanded by a major or a captain. Most companies are made up of three to seven platoons, although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and struc ...
has been stationed at Butterworth, drawn from units of the Australian Army on a rotational basis. The unit is designated Rifle Company Butterworth. While the unit's initial focus was protection of the airfield and base facilities and personnel, in recent years its emphasis has shifted to training and bilateral exercises in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.[
]
RMAF Butterworth
In 1970, following Malaysian independence, control of the base passed from the RAAF to the RMAF, and ownership of the property was ceded to the Malaysian Government; the base was formally renamed to RMAF Butterworth. As the RMAF was in its infancy and not in a position to fully take over an air defence role, two RAAF fighter squadrons were based at Butterworth until 1988.
Current status
Although the base is under Malaysian control, under the terms of the FPDA command authority resides with the Commander Integrated Area Defence System (CIADS), an Australian air vice-marshal
Air vice-marshal (Air Vce Mshl or AVM) is an air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometime ...
, and the RAAF remains as a co-tenant, the only foreign power with a permanent presence on the base. Aside from the active RMAF and RAAF squadrons housed at the base, Butterworth routinely supports deployments of aircraft from the RAAF's Air Combat, Air Lift and Aerospace Operational Support Group.[
In 2018 the Australia government announced a AUS$22 million upgrade of the base, to ensure Butterworth "remains fit for purpose well into the future." The Defence Industry Minister, ]Christopher Pyne
Christopher Maurice Pyne (born 13 August 1967) is a retired Australian politician. As a member of the Liberal Party of Australia, Liberal Party, he held several ministerial positions in the Howard government, Howard, Abbott government, Abbott, ...
, stated improvements were needed for the base to support the RAAF's new Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic Stealth aircraft, stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both Air superiority fighter, air superiority and att ...
during regional exercises.
RMAF units
The RMAF stations the following units at Butterworth:
*No. 3 Squadron RMAF, operates 4 AgustaWestland AW139
The AgustaWestland AW139, now known as the Leonardo AW139, is a 15-seat medium-sized twin-engined helicopter developed and produced by the Italian helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland, now part of Leonardo. It is marketed at several differ ...
(leased from Weststar Aviation as interim S-61A4 Nuri replacement). Formerly operated S-61A4 Nuri helicopters (Retired at the end of 2019, however the 3rd Squadron still maintain to be a working Squadron, awaiting for future acquisition of new utility helicopter fleet)
*No. 15 Squadron RMAF, with BAE Hawk 108/Hawk 208
*No. 18 Squadron RMAF, with Boeing F/A-18D Hornets
Other Malaysian Armed Forces' Units
*509 Rejimen Askar Wataniah (509th Territorial Army Regiment)
*Unit Bantuan Utara, TLDM (Royal Malaysian Navy - Northern Region Support Unit)
RAAF units
Under the terms of the FPDA, the RAAF stations the following units at Butterworth:
* No. 19 Squadron (19SQN)
* No. 92 Wing Detachment Alpha (92WG Det A), with previously AP-3C Orions, now Boeing P-8 Poseidon
The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is an American maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by Boeing Defense, Space & Security. It was developed for the United States Navy as a derivative of the civilian Boeing 737 Next Generati ...
This represent the RAAF's only permanent air base outside of Australia.[
]
Other permanent units
The following units of the Australian Defence Force are also stationed at Butterworth:[
*2nd/30th Training Group, Australian Army
* Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (Joint Investigation Office Butterworth)
*Joint Health Command (Butterworth Clinic)
*Land Command Liaison Section, Australian Army (as at May 2007)
* Rifle Company Butterworth, Australian Army
]
Visiting units
RMAF Butterworth often hosts visiting units from nations which comprise the FPDA, particularly for the annual Exercise Bersama Lima. Aircraft from overseas squadrons participating in the exercise often include:
*RAF Typhoon
A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...
fighters and Voyager MRTTs
*RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets & MH-60R Seahawk helicopters of the Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the navy, naval branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (Australia), Chief of Navy (CN) Vice admiral (Australia), Vice Admiral Mark Hammond (admiral), Ma ...
* RNZAF P-3K2 Orions and Royal New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; ) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of eight ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act 1913, and the subsequent acquisition of the cruiser , whi ...
SH-2G Seasprite helicopters.
In 2013, after a break of 15 years, the exercise was joined by five F-16 Fighting Falcons from 140 Squadron of the Republic of Singapore Air Force
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is the aerial service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air support to the Army and Navy. It was establis ...
(RSAF).
The airfield also hosts visiting aircraft from the Royal Thai Air Force
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) (; ) is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913 as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force has engaged in numerous major and minor conflicts. During the ...
.[
]
See also
* Royal Malaysian Air Force bases
* Far East Air Force (Royal Air Force)
* Former overseas RAF bases
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
History of RAF
*
*
{{authority control
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...
Butterworth
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...
1941 establishments in British Malaya
Australia–Malaysia relations