North-Eastern Area Command (RAAF)

North-Eastern Area Command
RAAF area commands in November 1942
Active	1942–56
Allegiance	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Role	Air defence Aerial reconnaissance Protection of adjacent sea lanes
Garrison/HQ	Townsville, Queensland
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	Frank Lukis (1942) Harry Cobby (1942–43) Ian McLachlan (1951–53)

North-Eastern Area Command was one of several geographically based commands raised by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during World War II. For most of its existence it covered central and northern Queensland, and Papua New Guinea. It was formed in January 1942 from the eastern part of the former Northern Area Command, which had covered the whole of northern Australia and Papua. Headquartered at Townsville, Queensland, North-Eastern Area Command was primarily responsible for air defence, aerial reconnaissance and protection of the sea lanes within its boundaries. Aircraft under its control took part in the battles of Rabaul, Port Moresby and Milne Bay in 1942, and the landings at Hollandia and Aitape in 1944. The command continued to operate following the end of the war, before its responsibilities were subsumed in 1954 by the RAAF's new functional command-and-control system; the headquarters was disbanded two years later.

North-Eastern Area Command was formed at Townsville, Queensland, on 15 January 1942, taking over the eastern portion of what was previously Northern Area Command. Northern Area had been established on 8 May 1941 as one of the RAAF's geographically based command-and-control zones, and covered northern New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Papua. The roles of the area commands were air defence, protection of adjacent sea lanes, and aerial reconnaissance. Each area was led by an Air Officer Commanding (AOC) responsible for the administration and operations of air bases and units within his boundary.