 The Federal government retired Air Marshal Jones in 1952 and replaced him with Air Marshal Donald Hardman , RAF , who proceeded to re @-@ organise the RAAF command @-@ and @-@ control system along functional lines , establishing Home ( operational ) , Training , and Maintenance Commands in October 1953 . The first was re @-@ formed from Eastern Area Command as it was considered the RAAF 's de facto operational organisation . The second was re @-@ formed from Southern Area Command , as it was the hub of training services , controlling those in New South Wales and Queensland as well as Victoria and South Australia . The third and last functional command was formed from the extant Maintenance Group headquarters in Melbourne . The transition to a functional system was completed in February 1954 , when the three new commands assumed control of operations , training and maintenance from Western , North @-@ Western , and North @-@ Eastern Areas . 
