Australia's last indigenous military aircraft programme was killed off by cost blowouts, bureaucratic infighting and programme delays. The Wamira programme was finally cancelled in December 1985 at a loss of about $60m to the taxpayer.
A23 – AAC A10 Wamira
Air Force Staff Target 5044
Air Force Staff Target 5044 was issued in 1979 specifying details for a new Basic Pilot Training Aircraft project. This requirement was to replace the New Zealand manufactured CT-4 Airtrainer as Australia’s basic military trainer, and enter service in 1988. In 1980, the RAAF reported there was no existing trainer to fill the requirement, primarily because side-by-side seating had been specified in preference to a tandem configuration.
The Government announced on December 1 1981 that an all Australian design would be pursued. The Australian Aircraft Consortium (AAC) was formed in June 1982, as a joint venture between the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF), Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) and Hawker de Havilland (HdH). Division of detail design and manufacture by the AAC members was the fuselage, with final assembly and testing by GAF, engine and empennage by CAC, and wing and landing gear by HdH. AAC felt there was export potential for about 200 turboprop trainers, and foreign marketing would be handled by HdH.
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