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DOD's recent decision to transfer ownership of the future Black Hawk battlefield helicopters to the Army marks a significant change in status for the ADF. Army is expected to control the Black Hawks
Army To Take Over RAAF Helicopters
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Army Wins Fight to Operate Battlefield Helicopters
The Australian Army has won its brief battle to gain control over the RAAF’s battlefield helicopters. Taking most defence observers by surprise, the late November decision by Defence Minister, Kim Beazley ushers in part one of a longer-term doctrine endorsing many of the recommendations made in the Dibb Report.
The Army battle for control of these traditional Air Force assets was relatively short-lived by modern standards. . From the first suggestion (which was not taken all that seriously at the time by those involved) to implementation took barely half a year, a mere eye wink in time considering the import of what was involved in material and philosophical terms,
What the decision means is that the Army (ADF) will take over the operation of the new Black Hawk helicopters arid what remains of the Iroquois fleet in years to come (refer story elsewhere this issue). The RAAF for its part will now operate only the heavy lift CH-47C Chinook which will remain based at Amberley. Army will take over the operation of No. 9 Squadron RAAF and its new Black Hawks from late 1987 when the first aircraft will roll out for Hawker de Havilland’s facility at Bankstown. This unit will then regroup to Townsville (Garbutt) where new Black Hawk base and maintenance (HdH) facilities are being built. It is not known at this stage if some of the aircraft would operate from nearby Lavarack Barracks though as far as Army is concerned we believe that practically all future group lift Black Hawks would be Townsville-based.
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