THREE of the world’s biggest military contractors are promising a huge influx of specialist jobs to Nowra should they be successful in winning a bid to supply helicopters for aircrew training.
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Former Australia Defence Force chief, Peter Cosgrove, promised a “substantial” influx of jobs to the region while visiting Nowra on Tuesday to launch the bid by AgustaWestland, BAE Systems and CAE to supply between 17 and 23 helicopters to the planned Helicopter Aircrew Training School.
While Mr Cosgrove was reluctant to put a number on the jobs the bid would bring to the Shoalhaven, BAE business development manager in Nowra, Dennis Hinds, said at least 150 skilled maintainers would be required.
“There is going to be a lot of work for specialist maintainers in Nowra on existing and new helicopter fleets,” he said.
The chairman of AgustaWestland Australia, Mr Cosgrove, said the aircrew training school bid was centred on the GrandNew helicopter, which was flying around the Shoalhaven City Council chambers on Tuesday as the bid was launched.
As the helicopter demonstrated its capabilities, Mr Cosgrove said it was ideal for training navy and army aircrew.
“The GrandNew provides a low-risk, off-the-shelf solution that will meet the future rotary-wing training needs of the Australian Defence Force,” Mr Cosgrove said.
“It is a fully crashworthy helicopter, and complies with the most stringent international safety standards.”
Within the team of companies, BAE Systems will lead all maintenance and support services, while CAE has primary responsibility for designing the overall synthetic training program, including manufacturing training devices and classroom and simulator instruction.
“CAE and AgustaWestland have manufactured a number of simulators for the AW helicopter fleet,” said CAE Australia’s interim managing director, Peter Redman.
“Our existing relationship and proven ability to integrate live and synthetic training environments should provide a high level of confidence to the ADF.
“Through the management and support of ADF aerospace simulators contract, we are an established ADF partner, contracted to provide aircrew training services for the C130 and KC-30A fleets, and engineering and maintenance services for the Black Hawk, Seahawk and Sea King and MRH 90 training equipment,” he added.
“Most of the maintenance work will be done in Australia by Australian workers,” added BAE Systems general manager of aviation maintenance and support services, Mike Shaw.
“We have strong links with the Nowra community and support navy and army through existing programs for Sea Hawk, Black Hawk and Chinook.
“We look forward to further developing our strong relationship with AgustaWestland,” Mr Shaw said.
As well as day-to-day servicing by BAE Systems, major repair and overhaul work for the transmission and other dynamic components will be done in the $40 million transmission repair and overhaul facility, which the NSW Government announced in May was being built at Nowra.
