BAE Systems Australia has won two major support contracts for the Australian Army’s fleet of S-70A-9 Black Hawks and the Navy’s S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters for the remainder of both types’ service lives.
The Black Hawk contract, valued at $35 million, will see BAE continue to support the Army’s fleet of 34 Black Hawks at its Townsville base for an initial three years plus five one-year options, until that aircraft is scheduled to have been replaced by the MRH 90. BAE has held the Black Hawk support contract since 1995.
The Seahawk support contract will run for seven years from next April, also with extension options, and is valued at $208 million. The engineering, maintenance, and supply services work will be conducted on the 16 Seahawks in a new Nowra Helicopter Support Centre facility at HMAS Albatross until these aircraft are replaced by a new type, either the MH-60R or the NFH 90, under Phase 8 of Project Air 9000.
Both contracts provide work for more than 220 maintenance engineers and support staff.
