No. 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit RAAF

114MCRU
Active	23 May 1943 -
Branch	RAAF
Role	Air Defence
Part of	41 Wing
Garrison/HQ	RAAF Base Darwin
Motto	Swift to React

No. 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit (114MCRU) is a Royal Australian Air Force radar unit. 114 MCRU is currently the RAAF's only easily deployable radar unit and regularly deploys into the field from its home base at RAAF Base Darwin during military exercises.

History

An AN/TPS-77 radar of the type 114MCRU is currently equipped with.

114MCRU was formed as 14 (Mobile) Fighter Sector Headquarters at Camden, New South Wales on 23 May 1943. In June 1943 the unit was deployed to Goodenough Island and became operational there on 27 June where it was responsible for providing air defence protection for the Kiriwina area. In March 1944 the unit was redeployed from Goodenough Island to Los Negros and was renamed 114 Mobile Fighter Control Unit (114MFCU). In January 1945 114MFCU was withdrawn to Brisbane, Australia and began preparations to participate in the Australian-led liberation of Tarakan. 114MFCU arrived off Tarakan with the main invasion force and became operational on the island on 5 May 1945, four days after the landing. 114MFCU was rapidly reduced in size following the end of the war and returned to Australia in December 1945 where it remained operational until being disbanded on 1 April 1948.

114MFCU was reactivated in late 1955 and was renamed No. 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit on 12 March 1956. 114MCRU moved to RAAF Base Butterworth in Malaya in mid-1958 and remained there as part of the British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve until being disbanded on 31 October 1966. 114MCRU was reactivated again at RAAF Base Amberley on 1 April 1968 and was based there until being relocated to RAAF Base Darwin during the 1990s.

Since August 2007, a detachement of No. 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit (MCRU), has been on active service at Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan. Approximately 75 personnel are deployed with the TPS 77 radar assigned with the responsibility to coordinate coalition combat air operations.

References

• RAAF Historical Section (1995), Units of the Royal Australian Air Force. A Concise History. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.