Tranche 2 of the Airways New Zealand IP VCS project will see Rohde & Schwarz replace existing ATC tower communication equipment with CERTIUM VCS, expanding on the system delivered to the ATC centre under the first tranche, which has operated since October 2023.

At a press conference in Canberra, Sharp told reporters that the tower controllers were experienced ATCs undergoing an endorsement process, and said Airservices had not believed the incident met the threshold for its mandatory reporting requirements.

The impact of the Middle East conflict, including increases in the cost of jet fuel brought on by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has caused “higher than normal slot cancellations as airlines adjust their capacity and reshape networks”, according to slot manager ACL Asia Pacific.

The twin-engine plane, which the Western Australian government says is the only aircraft of its type operated by an Australian law enforcement agency, will be used for rapid response to emergencies in regional WA, including critical incidents, major investigations, and natural disasters.