[2] While the RAAF did not face a significant ground threat in the first years of World War II, an Air Force Guard mustering was proposed in 1940.

[3] This mustering was to receive training in infantry tactics to defend RAAF bases against attack and would be modelled on the Royal Air Force Regiment.

Further secondments of infantry officers and NCOs followed and the RAAF Defence School was established at Hamilton, Victoria in September of that year.

A detachment of the Defence Pool was deployed to Morotai island in early 1945 in order to prepare a camp for the arrival of the main party of the unit.

[12] They suffered casualties, among them Leading Aircraftman Thomas Irvine and Corporal Clarence Tully[13] who were killed during Japanese raids on Tarakan airfield.

There is evidence to suggest that the RAAF considered the introduction of an armoured car capability in the 1950s,[15] with ADIs attending training on Staghound vehicles with the Army at Puckapunyal;[16] this project was never brought to fruition.

[17] In the end, the ADG mustering was re-established in October 1965[18] with an authorised strength of 220 new positions in addition to the remustering of all Drill Instructors and ADIs.

Power became the first airman to win the Military Medal (MM) since the Second World War for a night action on 11 February 1970, during which an enemy reconnaissance party was successfully ambushed near the perimeter of the Phan Rang base.

[29] Although the RAAF contemplated disbanding the mustering in the mid-1980s, the years between the Vietnam War and the 1999 deployment to East Timor were spent consolidating tactics and techniques such as reconnaissance skills and Quick Reaction Force (QRF) operations.

Both capabilities may be considered to have matured in recent years with the attachment of Security Police (SECPOL) Military Working Dog (MWD) teams to ADG patrols and the introduction into RAAF service of the Bushmaster Infantry Mobility Vehicles.

The scope of this role, the longest and most continuous of the ADG mustering and its predecessors, may be gauged by the delivery of conversion training from the L1A1 SLR to the F88 rifle for every member of the RAAF.

[33] The cadre staff of 1AFDS consisted of Permanent Air Force (PAF) GRDEFOs and ADG NCOs; while the Ready Reserve Scheme was abolished in 1996, the RAAF implemented the Ground Defence Reserve Group based upon a similar concept, although with the full-time service commitment reduced to 9 months.

[36] 2AFDS undertook static security, access control and reconnaissance patrol tasks, in addition to establishing observation posts and providing a Quick Reaction Force (QRF).

Reinforcements arrived on 4 November 1999 comprising 37 members of 3AFDS,[37] an integrated permanent and reserve squadron headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley, disbanded in December 2006.

[39] ADGs and GRDEFOs deployed to Henderson Field, Honiara as part of the RAAF component of Joint Task Force 635 on Operation Anode, the ADF contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

Following severe rioting in April 2006, members of 2AFDS were deployed as part of the ADF response to support police in reestablishing law and order.

A further link with the Solomon Islands exists via Protective Service Officer Adam Dunning of the Australian Federal Police, who was shot and killed in Honiara in December 2004.

Although deployed to the Solomon Islands in his civilian role, Dunning was a reservist ADG and had previously served with 2AFDS in East Timor.

As part of Operation Catalyst, ADGs provided force protection to the RAAF air traffic control detachment at Baghdad International Airport, during 2003–04.

The second rotation continued until the base was downscaled and eventually handed over to the Afghan National Army (ANA) in late 2014.

[43] This deployment formed part of Operation Slipper, the ADF contribution to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

In addition to the major campaigns listed above, in recent years ADGs have been involved in a range of smaller scale operations.

Airmen graduate from ADG Basic course with the rank of Aircraftman (AC) and are posted to one of the 3 Security Forces Squadrons.

Out of mustering postings may be available, with ADGs having served within Australia's Federation Guard, as career advisers within a Defence Recruiting Centre and as Military Skills Instructors (MSIs) at No.

However, in late 2013, with the future procurement of new aircraft, such as the F-35 Lightning II, both Airfield Defence Squadrons were merged with the RAAF Security Police, Airbase Protection and RAAF Military Working Dog Handlers to form Numbers 1 & 2 Security Forces Squadrons (SECFOR), boosting the strength and capability of protecting the new assets.

For planning purposes, a nominal Area of Operations (AO) for RAAF ground defence is usually extends to five kilometres from the airfield perimeter fence.

ADGs are trained and equipped to locate, fix and destroy enemy ground forces, ideally during the reconnaissance phase of any intended attack on RAAF assets.

QRF teams are heavily armed and act as a mobile reserve to provide a counter-attack or counter-penetration capability should an enemy evade the patrol screen.

In addition to their operational role ADG instructors provide essential ground defence training to the remainder of the RAAF.

The primary weaponry used by ADGs consists of the F88 Austeyr (with or without the M203 Grenade Launcher Attachment), F89 Minimi, and the Browning Hi-Power Self Loading Pistol.