16th Air Land Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery

16th Air Land Regiment
An RBS-70 team during an exercise in 2001.
Active	2 July 1969 – Present
Country	Australia
Allegiance	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Role	Air Defence
Part of	6th Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Woodside, South Australia
Equipment	RBS-70, GIRAFFE FOC, AN/TPQ-48, PSTAR-ER
Battle honours	Ubique
Insignia
Unit Colour Patch

The 16th Air Land Regiment is the Australian Army's only ground-based air defence unit. Part of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (RAA), the regiment is responsible for protecting a wide range of military assets during wartime, ranging from Army units in the field to providing point defence to the Royal Australian Navy's support ships and air defence to Royal Australian Air Force air bases. Prior to being equipped with the currently in-service RBS-70 surface-to-air missile system, the regiment was equipped with the Rapier systems for 25 years. The regiment is based at Woodside, South Australia, but frequently deploys with other Australian and allied units on operations and defence exercises. It is part of 6th Brigade.

The regiment is considered to be the "youngest" regiment of the RAA and has its genesis in the amalgamation of two previously independent batteries at Woodside Barracks in South Australia. On 2 July 1969, the 111th LAA Battery and 110th LAA Battery were grouped together to become the 16th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment. The 111th had been raised in 1957 and had served in Malaysia during Confrontation during 1964–66, while the 110th had been raised in 1965 and replaced the 111th in Malaysia in June 1966, but returned to Australia shortly afterwards after the conflict came to an end. Upon formation, the regiment was initially equipped with the QF 40 mm Mark XII anti-aircraft gun and was placed under the command of Lieutenant Colonel D.J. Ashmore. During this time, the regiment deployed small numbers of personnel to operate the Bofors guns upon the landing craft of the Royal Australian Engineers' 32nd Small Ships Squadron during the Vietnam War.