 On 31 March 1986 , No. 79 Squadron was re @-@ formed at RAAF Base Butterworth as a temporary measure to cover part of the period while the RAAF 's three fighter squadrons were transitioning from Mirage IIIs to F / A @-@ 18 Hornets . The squadron inherited all of No. 3 Squadron 's twelve Mirage IIIs fighters and most of its personnel ; the remainder of No. 3 Squadron returned to Australia to be re @-@ equipped with Hornets . As well as the Mirage IIIs , the squadron operated a single DHC @-@ 4 Caribou transport that was also based at Butterworth . 
