Shortlisted for the new IBFT contract are BAE Systems Australia, Boeing Defence Australia and Thales Australia.
The incumbent, BAE Systems, believes its bid is the most cost-effective, lowest-risk and proven solution possible.
It will use the current CT4B aircraft with safety enhancements and the existing Tamworth Flight Training Facility as the base from which to continue the provision of basic flying training.
However it has also offered to consider moving the operation to East Sale and operating the fully aerobatic Grob 120 if the Government decides on those options.
BAE Systems' Flight Training now carries out pilot grading and ab initio training for the ADF as well as pilot grading and training for Brunei and Singapore using Pacific Aerospace CT4Bs and Cap-10s.
Thales is heading a team which includes Flight Training Australia based at Parafield Airport, Transfield and Hawker Pacific.
Thales says it will operate from the RAAF Base at East Sale in Eastern Victoria.
The company believes the Grob 120A is the only aircraft capable of meeting the RAAF's current and foreseeable future requirements for both flight performance and crashworthiness levels compliant with FAR 25 amendment 59.
The current CT-4A trainer and the SF260 originally proposed by Thales do not meet these crashworthiness requirements, the company says.
Boeing Defence Australia is planning to operate from nearby West Sale Airport, also with the Grob 120 as the aircraft to be used for training. Boeing Defence Australia will be responsible for training delivery and aircraft maintenance while Aviall (also a Boeing company) will provide logistics and spares.
The ground-based training system will be sourced through Atlantis Systems International, which is a part of the Allied Wings program that delivers a basic training system.