Under the agreement, Babcock will deliver two new Airbus H145 D3 helicopters, equipped with advanced sensors, mission management systems, and long-range fuel tanks, enhancing surveillance and response capability in the strategically critical Torres Strait.
The $700 million infrastructure investments will see a suite of infrastructure upgrades and facilities works at RAAF Base Townsville, including supporting infrastructure for the relocation of 16th Aviation Brigade Headquarters from Brisbane, along with the relocation of the 1st Aviation Regiment from Darwin.
CH-47D Chinook A15-202, also known as “Centaur” or “Good as Gold”, was one of the first two Australian Chinooks deployed to Afghanistan in 2006.
Under the new three-year agreement, SLSWA will continue to deliver helicopter, jet-ski and beach patrols for safety and shark monitoring, as well as communications through its SurfCom centre and shark notifications on social media.
Senator Malcolm Roberts levelled the allegations in the Senate on 1 September, regarding documents reportedly sourced from a Comcare investigation into the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash in 2023.
Jim Jefferies described the fatal crash and grounding of the ADF fleet of MRH-90 Taipan helicopters as “terrible”, “intentionally-drawn out” and a “government cover-up”, while appearing on the ‘This Past Weekend’ podcast with American comedian Theo Von in late August.