Australian Armoured Corps Royal Australian Armoured Corps | |
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Active | 9 July 1941 – present |
Country | Australia |
Branch | Armour |
Type | Corps |
Role | Mounted Combat |
Size | 3 regular regiments 5 reserve regiments and a training unit |
Part of | Australian Army |
Garrison/HQ | Puckapunyal |
Nickname(s) | 'The Black Hats' |
March | Radetzky March, Opus Number 228 by Johann Strauss Senior |
Anniversaries | 9th of July 1941 |
Equipment | Armoured Fighting Vehicles |
Commanders | |
Colonel in Chief | King Charles III |
Representative Honorary Colonel | Major General Craig Orme |
Head of Corps | Brigadier Chris Gardiner |
Corps Sergeant Major | Warrant Officer Class 1 Jamie Adams |
Insignia | |
RAAC Colour patch |
The Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) is an administrative corps of the Australian Army. It provides the Australian Defence Force's Armour capability, which performs the function of mounted combat. Armour combines firepower, mobility, protection and networked situational awareness to generate shock action and overmatch in close combat. Armour is an essential element of the combined arms approach that is employed by the Australian Army.[1]
The RAAC is the senior arms corps within the Army and the custodian of the customs and traditions of Australia's mounted soldiers.[2] The members of the corps are Army's experts in the theory and practice of armoured warfare and operation of armoured fighting vehicles (AFV). While all RAAC members are trained in the technical and tactical employment of armour, they specialise in either the Armoured or Cavalry career streams. Both male and female soldiers and officers serve within the RAAC as armoured vehicle crew. The corps includes both full-time Regular and part-time Reserve units and members. The RAAC provides policy guidance, trade management representation and administrative support for its members.