The Royal Australian Air Force Ensign Flag (1982)

The Royal Australian Air Force Ensign (flag) is essentially a sky blue version of the Australian flag with the constellation the Southern Cross slightly rotated to allow the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) roundel to be placed in the lower fly. 

The RAAF ensign has evolved from the British Royal Air Force (RAF) ensign, which was used by the RAAF from its formation in 1921, until King George VI approved a unique ensign for the RAAF in 1948, which was formally adopted in 1949. 

The 1948 design featured the RAF roundel (concentric circles of red, white and dark blue) in the lower fly, which was replaced by the RAAF roundel, featuring a leaping kangaroo in 1982. 

The Symbolic Meaning

The light blue background symbolises the sky and the kangaroo is a national symbol of Australia.

Like many other countries in the British Commonwealth, Australia maintains the Union Jack in the upper hoist, symbolizing the country's historical link to Great Britain.

The Federation Star located beneath the Union Jack represents unity, with a point for each of the six states and a seventh point representing the territories.

The five stars in the fly of the flag symbolise the constellation the Southern Cross, representing the stars Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta each with seven points and Epsilon with five points because it doesn't shine as brightly as the other stars in the constellation. 

The Southern Cross is a prominent constellation of the southern hemisphere. It denotes Australia's geographical position in the world.