Army To Take Over RAAF Helicopters

Similarly, the Army would look to do its own aircrew training and they believe they can save a considerable amount of both time and money by doing it their way. In. Shirt means that they would accept sergeant pilots and NCOs in addition to warrant officers who collectively would be less ‘wage intensive’ than typical RAAF helo aircrews. Similarly, Army pilots would not need to do the Macchi course at RAAF Pearce, a considerable saving jn both time and expense in addition to lessening the flight demands on the new PC-9s and Macchis through the coming decades. Another aspect of flight training being investigated by Army is the use of a contracted civilian agency for the initial stages of flight training. This would not only save a considerable amount of money but would free up facilities within the Army that would be better employed in the operation of the end product – the Black Hawk and other ADF helos.

Meanwhile, the RAAF will remain in control of logistics, as it does for all aircraft regardless of their ownership. Army would ultimately be responsible for the maintenance of such aircraft though in the five year transition period maintenance will be jointly conducted by both RAAFand ADF units. In this regard, Army is also looking to contract out as much heavy maintenance as possible in an effort to further reduce costs and increase unit effectiveness.

It Is anticipated that few RAAF Iroquois pilots would transfer to Army as the rank comparisons between the two services are too divergent to be considered attractive. On the other hand, RAAF is critically short of skilled pilots in many areas, particularly in the LRMP and fighter units and would no doubt find these displaced pilots viable postings in such units. The RAAF will continue, in association with Army, to manage the flight safety programme and handle all airworthiness and aeronautical engineering matters.

Overall, Army see the battlefield helo as just another form of transport – a flying armoured personnel carrier – and consider that their being able to operate the asset a prerequisite to being effective on the modern battlefield. A DOD internal review in September argued against the transfer of the RAAF helicopters six to one. However, in the final countdown, the Ariny and Navy Chiefs outvoted the RAAF with Defence Minister Beazley announcing the historic decision on November 20th.

For the Australian defence forces, it represents a major change in thinking, for Army Aviation the dawn of a new tomorrow while for the RAAF it represents an undeserved defeat and a threat to its future force structure. As one dejected blue suiter said to me recently, “Next the navy will demand our Orions!”.