Sikorsky Australia marks 10 years of Seahawk capability in Nowra

For Sikorsky Australia’s general manager, Cliff Kyle, who has seen the operation evolve over the past decade, the transformation reflects the expertise built by the Australian workforce.

“Ten years ago, we started with less than a dozen employees designing the sustainment facility and building that capability from the ground up. Today, we employ more than 230 highly skilled people.”

Since opening, the Sikorsky Australia team has completed 70 planned maintenance interval depot level servicing on the Navy’s fleet of Seahawks at the Nowra facility, including the first depot maintenance activity on a US Navy Seahawk in-country. To-date, the Seahawk fleet has accumulated over 60,000 flying hours in support of Australia’s national interests.

The operation has expanded well beyond aircraft maintenance, with more than 100 Seahawk components now supported through Sikorsky Australia’s facility, strengthening the resilience of the Seahawk supply chain and reinforcing fleet readiness.

The most recent example being the establishment of a dedicated main rotor damper overhaul capability in Australia in response to an emerging fleet requirement, avoiding the need to return components to the US for overhaul.

The Nowra facility has also an advanced low-frequency dipping sonar maintenance capability, making it one of only four locations globally able to perform this work, alongside two locations in the US and one in Japan. The sonar is the Seahawk’s primary anti-submarine warfare sensor, a critical component of the aircraft’s mission capability.

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“The facility was designed around our needs from the outset, starting as a bare-bones operation, but future-proofed for what was ahead. Ten years on, we’re still reaping the benefits of that design as the fleet continues to expand,” said Cliff Kyle.

The facility’s unique design has played an important role in its evolution. Located alongside the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm Seahawk squadrons, it enables close partnership between operational and sustainment teams and provides the flexibility to respond to changing fleet requirements.

“I’m immensely proud of the Sikorsky Australia team,” Kyle said.

“The culture that has been created in the organisation is collaborative and mission-focused, with everyone understanding the contribution they are making to Australia and its national interests.” He added: “As a result, Sikorsky Australia has become an integral partner in the Seahawk enterprise.”

With the Seahawk fleet growing to 36 aircraft, the next decade will bring further opportunities to expand Australia’s aviation industrial base, increase the local supply chain and grow the skilled workforce to support Navy’s current and future operational requirements.

Kyle said: “What we’ve achieved in 10 years is exciting. With additional aircraft coming, we’re focused on growing our capability and delivering through-life sustainment at the highest levels for the fleet.”

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