27 January, 2023
Black Hawk helicopters secured for Swartz base
The announcement of a fleet of new helicopters will help lock in the future of the Australian Army Aviation Training Centre at Oakey.
The Federal Government has announced it will acquire 40 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for the Australian Army, some of which will be based in Oakey.
Concerns about the future viability of the base have now been eased, with the relationship with the Royal Singapore Air Force set to continue at the Swartz Army Barracks.
An independent defence media outlet has confirmed with Defence that two squadrons from Townsville’s 5th Aviation Regiment will also be heading to Oakey with the Black Hawks.
Local MP Garth Hamilton hailed the announcement as a major win for Oakey.
“After all Oakey’s been through in the last couple of years... this is great news for our local economy,” he said.
“Not just with the Black Hawks, but the maintenance, engineering and supply chain jobs that go with it.
“It’s massive, and today’s announcement should give absolute confidence that Oakey will play a long-term part in our nation’s defence.”
The purchase of the Sikorsky-made Black Hawks will put an end to the era of the European-made Taipan fleet, which frequently required upgrades.
Over its lifespan in Australia, the Taipan fleet was grounded for a period of between one and three months over nine times.
Despite costing $7 billion, the Black Hawks are expected to save Defence a significant amount of money.
Head of Land Capability Major General Jeremy King said the Black Hawks were an important acquisition for Oakey and would help meet the strategic needs of the Australian Army.
“The Black Hawk capability will be a crucial element for us to protect Australia’s sovereignty and deliver foreign policy objectives including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,” he said.
“The Black Hawk will support the deployment of our troops and their equipment where they are needed in times of crisis.”
Major-General King said the reliability of the Black Hawks, which have been involved in US Army combat operations in Iraq, Syria and Somalia, was unquestioned.
“The Black Hawk is a reliable, proven and mature platform supported by a robust global supply chain,” he said.
The Black Hawks will operate from Oakey and Holsworthy in western Sydney.
The new aircraft will be supported by a highly skilled blended maintenance workforce including Australian industry contractors.
Industry will be involved in the logistic support, warehousing and engineering services, sectors, as well as training development.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has welcomed the acquisition of Black Hawk helicopters for Oakey, claiming credit for signing the deal as the Minister for Defence under the Morrison Government.
Speaking in Brisbane last week Mr Dutton said the announcement had been a long time coming.
“The Black Hawks were ordered when we were in government, they were approved for export by the US government, and frankly the Defence Minister’s been sitting on his hands for the last eight months,” he said.
“The acquisition of those helicopters is a great thing.
“It’s necessary equipment for the men and women of the Australian Defence Force and the sooner we get them the better.”
Mr Dutton said that the decision to ground the existing aircraft earlier than initially planned would be the right one in the long run.
“The previous airframe had been grounded on a number of occasions,” he said.
“I’d formed a judgment that it was too risky for the men and women of the Australian Defence Force to fly in.
“There was no amount of money that you could put into that airframe that was going to make it airworthy into the long run.
“Ultimately we should be making decisions that are in our country’s best interest and able to keep us safe.”
The purchase of the Black Hawks brings to an end the Army’s efforts to make the MRH 90 European Taipan fleet work, amidst cost-blowouts and expensive upgrade requirements.
The purchase of 40 American-made UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for the Army, estimated to cost about $7 billion, later this year, is expected to cost billions of dollars less than maintaining the Taipan fleet.
Military journalist John Farrell said the Australian Government had the choice to buy the Black Hawks in 2004 when they were still in their infancy.
“We are now buying helicopters that we rejected in 2004,” he said.
“The Taipans were grounded so much that the Army has been forced to rent civilian helicopters.”
