Patrick Durrant | Sydney
As far back as 2007, our long standing correspondent Tom Muir was suggesting that Air 5428 was “a little slow off the mark”. And finally here we are, in 2015, with the official announcement of the tender win for the program made by the Defence Minister last weekend.
Team 21, led by Lockheed Martin and comprising Pilatus and Hawker Pacific, was officially announced as the preferred tenderer, news ADM was fairly certain of back in May.
Let’s bear in mind what we said in 2008, the original planned withdrawal date for the Pilatus PC-9/A fleet (and the 21st birthday of the first aircraft delivered): “the design, robustness and support of both the airframe and the systems has permitted the ADF to extend the life out to 2016, or beyond if required”.
And beyond it looks like being, with no clear date as yet on when deliveries of the Pilatus PC-21 aircraft are to be expected.
In the announcement made on the weekend, the Pilot Training System will deliver 49 Pilatus PC-21 aircraft, with RAAF Base East Sale to become home to 22 of the new aircraft. The contract will see the ADF Basic Flying Training System (BFTS) delivered from RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria from 2019. BAE Systems has been conducting this training from its facility in Tamworth and will continue to do so until the end of 2019.
ADM has reported extensively on the uncertainty which has plagued this program over the years. It has no doubt been frustrating to all involved and presents a challenge for those attempting to purchase the right level of spares to see the PC-9s through their final years of service.
The date for the initial request for tender was pushed back on numerous occasions, finally seeing the light of day on 2 August 2013, by which time Raytheon, Thales and Australian Aerospace had all pulled out. This left just two teams in the bid, the other being BAE Systems Australia with CAE and Beechcraft with the T-6C Texan II.
BAE Systems told ADM that while it was too early to comment on how it would manage the transition of the BFTS from Tamworth to East Sale, it would continue to work with the Air Force Training Group to understand its schedule requirements to phase-in the new pilot training system.
BAE Systems employs 114 people at its Flight Training Tamworth facility to provide: flight screening and interim basic flight training services to the ADF; air grading for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF); qualification training for the RSAF flying instructors; and flight training for Royal Brunei Air Force and PNGDF pilots and flying instructors.
“Despite this decision, we want to grow our aviation training capability in Tamworth,” Director Aerospace Steve Drury said. “We are investing in securing new contracts and entering new markets to ensure we retain a long-term aviation training business here.”
The company’s recent air grading contract extension with the RSAF maintains its broad customer base beyond the ADF, and is an important element of its long-term aviation training business in Tamworth.