Changes to military restricted airspace in NSW

Consultation has concluded

The current military restricted area known as R559 will be dissolved and two new replacement restricted areas (to be known as R560 and R570) will be established further north of the current R559 location. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) requires improved restricted areas to support their Hawk and new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft training operations. Airservices is supporting this change by providing new and amended routes that will allow the movement of civilian aircraft to go around the restricted areas when they are active.

In developing the redesigned airspace, minimisation of diversions for civilian aircraft and proximity to Defence airbases were taken into account.

What is the current R559 area?

R559 is a large military restricted airspace series extending northwest of Richmond NSW, primarily used by RAAF Williamtown for military flying training. Currently civilian aircraft are not permitted to utilise the area above 8,500ft Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL) when R559 is active.

Figure 1 Existing R559 Restricted Airspace map.

Why does it need to be changed?

The current R559 restricted airspace in NSW is no longer fit for purpose due to the unique training needs and operating requirements of the newly introduced F-35A Lightning II. The F-35A Lightning II fifth generation air combat aircraft operates differently and has new tactics and profiles that the current airspace design cannot accommodate.

Military aircraft use training areas to conduct high-speed, abrupt flying manoeuvres and the employment of airborne electronic capabilities which can cause interference to other aircraft. For these reasons military flying requires segregated volumes of airspace to ensure safety of participants and non-participants.

This is the first review of the military airspace in this area since 1986. The airspace was originally designed to suit the training needs of the F/A-18 A/B Classic Hornet. Australia will operate the F-35A for more than 30 years and this airspace change is a long-term solution.

What is it changing to?

Replacement areas to be known as R560 (yellow) and R570 (blue) will be established further north of the current R559 location. The restricted airspace is expected to mainly be used during business hours on weekdays. When the restricted airspace is not in use for military training, aircraft will continue to operate as they currently do today.

Figure 2 Proposed Restricted Airspace map. Blue shaded areas(R570): Airspace restricted from 10,000ft AMSL on activation. Yellow shaded areas (R560): Airspace restricted from 8,500ft AMSL to 24,000ft AMSL on activation.

Most military aircraft activity in R570 (blue shaded area) will be conducted at altitudes well above 10,000ft AMSL and have been designed to have minimal impact on the community. R560 (yellow shaded area) will still host low flying activities as it currently does. Hawk 127 and PC-21 aircraft will continue to operate in this airspace regularly. F-35A aircraft will also continue to use this space on a limited basis.

Figure 3 Overlay of existing R559 (red) and new Restricted area (yellow and blue).

Figure 4 Proposed R560 (yellow) and R570 (blue) overlaid with sample flight tracks for a single day (thin green lines) Source: ODAS; Proposed new routes and Sydney outbound routes (red), Sydney inbound routes (light blue)

What does that mean for the area under the current R559 restricted area?

Aircraft have freedom of movement when R559 is not active, therefore there will be no change to aircraft movements in the current R559 area when compared to aircraft movements whilst the R559 restricted area is not active.

What does it mean for locations under the proposed restricted areas?

For detailed information about how aircraft movements may change in your area, see the Joint Strike Fighter Training Areas Fact Sheet on this page.

When will it be changing?

Implementation is expected to occur on 30 November 2023.

Who to contact for questions?

For more detailed information go to https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/releases/2022-10-27/raaf-and-airservices-australia-re-design-military-training-area-airspace.

The current military restricted area known as R559 will be dissolved and two new replacement restricted areas (to be known as R560 and R570) will be established further north of the current R559 location. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) requires improved restricted areas to support their Hawk and new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft training operations. Airservices is supporting this change by providing new and amended routes that will allow the movement of civilian aircraft to go around the restricted areas when they are active.

In developing the redesigned airspace, minimisation of diversions for civilian aircraft and proximity to Defence airbases were taken into account.

What is the current R559 area?

R559 is a large military restricted airspace series extending northwest of Richmond NSW, primarily used by RAAF Williamtown for military flying training. Currently civilian aircraft are not permitted to utilise the area above 8,500ft Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL) when R559 is active.

Figure 1 Existing R559 Restricted Airspace map.

Why does it need to be changed?

The current R559 restricted airspace in NSW is no longer fit for purpose due to the unique training needs and operating requirements of the newly introduced F-35A Lightning II. The F-35A Lightning II fifth generation air combat aircraft operates differently and has new tactics and profiles that the current airspace design cannot accommodate.

Military aircraft use training areas to conduct high-speed, abrupt flying manoeuvres and the employment of airborne electronic capabilities which can cause interference to other aircraft. For these reasons military flying requires segregated volumes of airspace to ensure safety of participants and non-participants.

This is the first review of the military airspace in this area since 1986. The airspace was originally designed to suit the training needs of the F/A-18 A/B Classic Hornet. Australia will operate the F-35A for more than 30 years and this airspace change is a long-term solution.

What is it changing to?

Replacement areas to be known as R560 (yellow) and R570 (blue) will be established further north of the current R559 location. The restricted airspace is expected to mainly be used during business hours on weekdays. When the restricted airspace is not in use for military training, aircraft will continue to operate as they currently do today.

Figure 2 Proposed Restricted Airspace map. Blue shaded areas(R570): Airspace restricted from 10,000ft AMSL on activation. Yellow shaded areas (R560): Airspace restricted from 8,500ft AMSL to 24,000ft AMSL on activation.

Most military aircraft activity in R570 (blue shaded area) will be conducted at altitudes well above 10,000ft AMSL and have been designed to have minimal impact on the community. R560 (yellow shaded area) will still host low flying activities as it currently does. Hawk 127 and PC-21 aircraft will continue to operate in this airspace regularly. F-35A aircraft will also continue to use this space on a limited basis.

Figure 3 Overlay of existing R559 (red) and new Restricted area (yellow and blue).

Figure 4 Proposed R560 (yellow) and R570 (blue) overlaid with sample flight tracks for a single day (thin green lines) Source: ODAS; Proposed new routes and Sydney outbound routes (red), Sydney inbound routes (light blue)

What does that mean for the area under the current R559 restricted area?

Aircraft have freedom of movement when R559 is not active, therefore there will be no change to aircraft movements in the current R559 area when compared to aircraft movements whilst the R559 restricted area is not active.

What does it mean for locations under the proposed restricted areas?

For detailed information about how aircraft movements may change in your area, see the Joint Strike Fighter Training Areas Fact Sheet on this page.

When will it be changing?

Implementation is expected to occur on 30 November 2023.

Who to contact for questions?

For more detailed information go to https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/releases/2022-10-27/raaf-and-airservices-australia-re-design-military-training-area-airspace.

Consultation has concluded