28 March 2025
From the rugged terrain of the Australian Outback to the tropical jungles of Papua New Guinea, the RAAF C-27J Spartan has proven to be an essential asset in its air mobility fleet.
With a decade of RAAF flying operations under its belt, the C-27J Spartan, operated by 35 Squadron, has often been the first on the ground, delivering vital supplies, personnel and equipment to those who need it most.
To mark this milestone, the original crew of the first RAAF C-27J Spartan training flight reunited at RAAF Base Amberley on February 27 to conduct a sortie.
The crew included Wing Commander Mark Seery (pilot), Flight Lieutenant Glen Foster (pilot), Warrant Officer Steven Burrows (loadmaster) and Warrant Officer Geoff Smith (loadmaster).
The reunion was particularly significant for Wing Commander Mark Seery, who returned to the squadron in 2024 as its Commanding Officer.
“Being the Commanding Officer of 35 Squadron is an extreme privilege; it was my first choice for command and the place I really wanted to get back to,” Wing Commander Seery said.
“To be able to return and contribute to this phenomenal culture and witness how it’s grown over the years is really exciting.”
The day was also a reminder of the unique camaraderie that Air Force aviators share.
“It’s like all things in Defence: you separate, you get back together and it's like good old times and things haven’t changed,” Wing Commander Seery said.
'We work hard on this platform day in and day out to deliver effects for the Australian Government and other nations that we support.'
The first of 10 C-27J Spartans arrived in Australia in 2015 from prime contractor L-3 Waco, Texas facility.
With its rugged durability, advanced avionics, self-protection systems and impressive payload capacity, the C-27J Spartan has become a primary platform of the ADF's airlift capabilities.
The aircraft enables personnel to deploy quickly and effectively to any corner of the globe, including in contested environments.
Widely known as ‘Wallaby Airlines’, the aircraft bridges the gap between the Army's rotary-wing assets and the Air Force's larger fixed-wing aircraft.
“There’s definitely crossover in role and performance capabilities between the C-27J Spartan and the C-130J Hercules, C-17A Globemaster III and the CH-47 Chinook, but it has a very unique and niche capability now widely valued in the ADF as well as our regional allies and partners,” Wing Commander Seery said.
With a high operational tempo, the squadron’s support to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions has built a powerful and positive reputation both within Australia and overseas.
“The rate of effort is consistent and keeps us quite busy, particularly our operations out of Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Southwest Pacific,” Wing Commander Seery said.
“We work hard on this platform day in and day out to deliver effects for the Australian Government and other nations that we support.
“The culture here is phenomenal. The team look after each other, everyone enjoys deployments together, getting after it and getting the job done.”
