The Royal Australian Air Force’s two Caribou aircraft have retired from service, and will be replaced by the King Air aircraft as an interim measure.

The entire fleet received by ADF between 1964 and 1971 is known for its ability to take off and land on short and unprepared airstrips.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Greg Combet said the aircraft has served in Vietnam, supported UN efforts in Kashmir, and has seen extensive service in South East Asia and across the South Pacific.

“Age, serviceability and performance issues had started to affect the aircraft’s ability to operate efficiently,” Combet said.

Following the retirement, one Caribou will be sent to the Air Force Museum at Point Cook, while another will be presented to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra for display.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Airforce Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Airforce Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.


Excellence in Action
Discover how Virtualitics is transforming mission readiness with explainable AI, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision intelligence across the U.S. Department of Defense through its AI-powered Integrated Readiness Optimization suite, for which it has won the Innovation and Business Expansion awards.

Discover the Impact