Originally based at the Royal Navy's Ħal Far airfield, in south-east Malta, the wing moved in June 1953 to the centrally located RAF Station Ta'Kali, command of which was given to Group Captain Eaton. By this time, with plans afoot to form a Far East Strategic Reserve to contain communist aggression in South East Asia, the British and Australian governments began to discuss withdrawing No. 78 Wing from the Middle East when its planned two-year garrison was complete. Eaton handed over command to Wing Commander Geoff Newstead in September 1954. The wing flew its last sorties in December, and returned to Australia the following month.