▁RA AF ▁Base ▁La ver ton ▁in ▁Victoria ▁and ▁RA AF ▁Base ▁Pear ce ▁in ▁Western ▁Australia . ▁ 7 2 4 ▁Squadron ▁also ▁formed ▁a ▁Sky h awk - equ ipped ▁aer ob at ics ▁team ▁called ▁the ▁Check m ates . ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 7 0 s ▁the ▁R AN ▁investig ated ▁options ▁to ▁replace ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁her ▁air ▁group . ▁During ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁the ▁Navy ▁sought ▁tend ers ▁for ▁an ▁aircraft ▁car rier ▁capable ▁of ▁operating ▁Har rier ▁J ump ▁J ets ▁and ▁hel ic op ters . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁the ▁Australian ▁Government ▁reached ▁an ▁agreement ▁to ▁purchase ▁ ▁from ▁Britain ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁this ▁deal , ▁Melbourne ▁was ▁de comm ission ed ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁followed ▁by ▁ 8 0 5 ▁and ▁ 8 1 6 ▁Squad rons ▁on ▁ 2 ▁July . ▁All ▁of ▁the ▁remaining ▁ten ▁Sky h aw ks ▁were ▁assigned ▁to ▁ 7 2 4 ▁Squadron , ▁which ▁continued ▁to ▁operate ▁from ▁Al bat ross . ▁The ▁sale ▁of ▁Inv inci ble ▁to ▁Australia ▁was ▁cancel led ▁in ▁mid - 1 9 8 2 ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁F alk lands ▁War , ▁and ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁the ▁new ▁Haw ke ▁Government ▁decided ▁to ▁not ▁replace ▁Melbourne . ▁In ▁May ▁that ▁year ▁the ▁Government ▁also ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁dis band ment ▁of ▁the ▁F AA