HMAS Albatross (air Station) - Today

Today

Today, Albatross serves as home base for the four helicopter squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm, and for the Navy Aviation Group, which coordinates all of the RAN's aviation activities. Albatross also has a number of lodger units:

• Naval Weather and Oceanographic Centre (NWOC)
• Training Authority – Aviation
• Naval Aviation Systems Program Office (NASPO)
• Australian Joint Acoustic Analysis Centre (AJACC)
• RAN Tactical Electronic Warfare Support Section (RANTEWSS)
• Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Trials Unit (AMAFTU)
• Army Parachute Training School (PTS)
• T. S. Shoalhaven (Navy Cadet unit)
• No. 330 (City of Shoalhaven) Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets

In addition, Albatross is the home of the Fleet Air Arm Museum and the Royal Australian Navy Historic Flight.

Since 1986 there have been Learjet target tugs based at Albatross, operated by civilian companies under contract to the RAN. The first company was Lloyd Aviation, then from 1990 to 1996 Fleet Support (a company later bought by National Jet Systems) and from 1996 until the present Pel-Air. Each company has used four to five Learjet 35/36 series aircraft to provide the services; present incumbent Pel-Air also uses IAI Westwinds for non target-towing support operations.

The naval base had the unusual distinction of being shared by a small civilian passenger terminal, which at various times was utilised by the Masling and later Hazelton Airlines companies flying small propeller driven aircraft on scheduled services for the Nowra community. Until 2004, the Royal Australian Navy Gliding Association (RANGA) also operated from the runways at Albatross with a small fleet of gliders used by both Navy and civilian members.