The extension, valued at more than $370 million, will come into effect from 1 January 2026, and will see Babcock continue to supply Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for AV until 2030. AV’s HEMS responded to 2,197 incidents last year, with an average of almost 200 cases each month.

The joint service multi-role combat aircraft, which can take off and hover like a helicopter before transitioning to turboprop aircraft flight, was cleared for service by US Naval Air Systems Command on 8 March.

The plane, CC-BGG, was operating flight LA800 from Sydney to Santiago via Auckland on Monday when it experienced a sudden drop over the Tasman Sea around two hours after take-off, causing unrestrained passengers and crew to be violently thrown around the cabin.

As reported in The Wall Street Journal, the Department of Justice is contacting passengers and crew who were on board the flight as part of its probe, with the airline reportedly unable to find documentation about the door plug and saying the records likely do not exist.