Correspondence From The NSW Rural Fire Service On RAAF Base Richmond 616/24/25 - Documents (pdf, 5.66 Mb) 616/24/25 - Internal Review Documents For Release (pdf, 8.83 Mb)

Written by Claude Haiku 4.5 from the extracted text on 27 Feb 2026. It can miss or misread redacted and scanned pages. Check the source before relying on it.

This disclosure contains correspondence between NSW Rural Fire Service and RAAF Base Richmond regarding firefighting aircraft operations. In February 2019, the RFS requested approval for three firefighting aircraft (a Hercules transport, an RJ regional jet, and an Aero Commander) to base at RAAF Richmond overnight while conducting retardant bombing operations in Northern NSW during a fire emergency. The aircraft were to depart from Avalon with retardant, operate from Tingha near Inverell, and return to Richmond for reloading. Defence approved the request without impediment. By October-November 2019, correspondence indicates ongoing discussions between the RFS and Defence regarding long-term infrastructure requirements, including hangar facilities and operations at RAAF Richmond to support sustained large air tanker operations. Extensive redactions obscure personnel names, contact details, and potentially other operational information throughout both documents.