No. 4 Squadron RAAF

No. 4 Squadron RAAF
No. 4 Squadron's crest
Active	1916–19 1937–48 2009–current
Country	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Role	Army co-operation Forward air control
Part of	No. 82 Wing
Base	RAAF Base Williamtown
Motto(s)	"Cooperate to Strike"
Engagements	World War I World War II War in Afghanistan
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Sopwith Camel Sopwith Snipe Hawker Demon CAC Wirraway CAC Boomerang P-40 Kittyhawk CAC Mustang
Reconnaissance	Auster AOP III
Trainer	De Havilland Moth Minor Avro Anson Pilatus PC-9

No. 4 Squadron (4SQN) is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron composed of the air force special forces Combat Controllers, aircrew who operate the Pilatus PC-9A(F) (Forward Air Control variant) aircraft and instructors for the Australian Defence Force Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) course.

The squadron was previously a fighter and army co-operation unit active in both World War I and World War II. Formed in late 1917, the squadron operated on the Western Front as part of the Australian Flying Corps until the armistice in November 1918. It was disbanded after the war in mid-1919, but re-raised in 1937 and 1940. In 1942 it deployed to New Guinea, where it supported military forces by spotting for artillery and providing reconnaissance and close air support. As the war progressed, the squadron took part in the Huon Peninsula, New Britain and Borneo campaigns. It was disbanded in early 1948, but was re-formed on 2 July 2009 to provide training to forward air controllers and to support Army Special Operations Command.

4 Squadron consists of three Flights designated as A, B and C as well as maintenance / logistics sections and a small administrative team.

A Flight is composed of aircrew responsible for operating four Pilatus PC-9A(F) Forward Air Control (FAC) variant aircraft. The PC-9A(F) in grey paintwork differs from the standard PC-9A in several ways, including external stores carriage, communications equipment, undercarriage and is fitted with smoke grenade dispensers for target marking. The aircraft are based at RAAF Base Williamtown to train ADF Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC).