iscover
The pair of attack helicopters, acquired through foreign military sales with the US and manufactured by Boeing, were delivered by United States Air Force C-17 Globemaster to RAAF Base Townsville.
The first of the upgraded helicopters, VH-LF3, touched down in Mount Isa this week, with LifeFlight chief executive Ashley van de Velde saying the AW139 is the perfect search and rescue aircraft to cover the long distances in the region.
Sweden and New Zealand are among international militaries still operating the aircraft, while the Australian Defence Force grounded its MRH-90 Taipan helicopter fleet after a fatal crash during Talisman Sabre 2023.
The helicopter, N166DP, hauled 24 basalt boulders weighing a total of roughly 40 tonnes to shore up the 100-year-old Lavertys Gap Weir on Wilsons Creek near Mullumbimby, which was damaged in the 2022 floods and by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred earlier this year.
In an industry briefing column, chief executive Pip Spence said it would be “remiss of [her] not to reiterate the need for everyone to play a role in keeping aviation safe” following events over recent months that “led to a focus on helicopters in the Northern Territory”.
The subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, which sustains and maintains the Australian Defence Force’s MH-60R Seahawk helicopter fleet, is expected to provide another 100 positions of growth by 2028, including 60 roles in maintenance.
PROFILES
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