No. 20 Squadron RAAF
| No. 20 Squadron RAAF | |
|---|---|
Personnel of No. 20 Squadron carrying machine-gun belts speak with members of the Parliamentary War Expenditure Committee in Darwin, Northern Territory, October 1944 | |
| Active | 1941–1946 2015–current |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Role | Airfield support |
| Part of | No. 96 Wing, Combat Support Group |
| Garrison/HQ | RAAF Base Woomera |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron code | RB (1941–1946) |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Patrol | PBY Catalina (1941–1946) Short Empire (1941–1942) |
No. 20 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) support squadron. Coming under the control of No. 96 Wing, it is responsible for the management of the airfield at RAAF Base Woomera, South Australia. The squadron originated as a maritime patrol unit during World War II. Raised in August 1941, it operated PBY Catalina and Short Empire flying boats from bases in New Guinea, Queensland and the Northern Territory, conducting search-and-rescue, mine-laying, anti-submarine and bombing missions against Japanese targets in the Pacific theatre. Following the conclusion of hostilities, the squadron was disbanded in March 1946. It was reactivated as an airfield support squadron in April 2015.