news, latest-news, NAVY, RAN, Royal Australian Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Seahawk, MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopter, Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky
Related articles: Romeo takes to the sky, complete with Skippy RAN Romeo helicopter crews pass 1000-hour milestone Commodore checks out navy’s new helicopters The birds come home to roost MH-60R Seahawk Romeo makes maiden flight over HMAS Albatross and contracts signed for Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS). Albatross crews become missile-ready Albatross squadron passes milestone Albatross Romeo heads to Middle East HMAS Albatross receives final Romeo from Lockheed Martin Monday was a significant day for the Royal Australian Navy, taking delivery of the final of 24 MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopters from Lockheed Martin. It was also the official opening of Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky’s purpose-built logistics and maintenance facility, west of Nowra. But the day was even more significant for former Commander Fleet Air Arm, Commodore Vince Di Pietro, who has recently been appointed as the new Vice President and Chief Executive designate of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand. Seated among a who’s who of the world’s aviation industry and naval aviators, Mr Di Pietro’s pride was evident and rightfully so. “Number 24 has been delivered,” he said of the final Romeo’s arrival “it’s a proud day.” He has been part of the project from day one. “I was involved in the early stages of this project as a naval attache in the US when the early approaches were made to try and attract Australia to the Romeo Seahawk,” he said. “Then coming back to Australia and being involved in the tender and evaluation and then Commander Fleet Air Arm and watching the facility for the new squadrons and this one start from the ground up. “Watching the first machine arrive on a very stormy day in October 2014, and now here in September 2016 to see number 24, it’s fantastic. “More importantly now being a part of the company that is looking after the ongoing partnership of maintenance repair and overhaul of these machines. “And provide the service to the United States Navy as Australia’s principal agent and business partner in the delivery of the machines and the capability. “It’s quite a fairy tale story.” He said he takes a great deal of pride in seeing the final Romeo arrive. “It’s a great day to see it all through,” he said. “To be forwarded the opportunity to take on a leadership role on Lockheed Martin is really proving to be something which is far beyond what I thought it would be in many ways because of the breadth and depth of the company’s activities. “It supports the Australian Defence Force in all sorts of ways. “With over the horizon radar its supports the ambitions for the future combat, the future submarine, the joint strike fighter which we manufacture and, of course, the Romeo. “It’s quite special. “At the moment Nowra is the third largest footprint of Lockheed Martin people in Australia.” He said the Romeo was the future of naval aviation. “There are very few machines in the maritime domain with the sort of capabilities and technologies included in them to be able to extend the eyes and ears and the sense of the ships and weapons of the ships out such a long way as these do,” he said. “I have previously said there are people who will eventually work on and fly these helicopters whose parents haven’t even met yet. “It’s an incredible thing to own. We are one of the first countries outside the United States to acquire it and we now have three are at sea on the Anzac Frigates, doing what it was purchased to do. “It comes at a time when a great number of navies in our region are all getting serious about the business of submarines and this will allow us to understand what those activities might mean and to play a part so stuff on the high seas gets to where it’s got to be. “It always has been and always will be an exciting time as a naval aviator.” Although based out of Canberra, Mr Di Pietro said his family would continue living in Nowra and he would commute.
Monday was a significant day for the Royal Australian Navy, taking delivery of the final of 24 MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopters from Lockheed Martin.
It was also the official opening of Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky’s purpose-built logistics and maintenance facility, west of Nowra.
But the day was even more significant for former Commander Fleet Air Arm, Commodore Vince Di Pietro, who has recently been appointed as the new Vice President and Chief Executive designate of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand.
Seated among a who’s who of the world’s aviation industry and naval aviators, Mr Di Pietro’s pride was evident and rightfully so.
“Number 24 has been delivered,” he said of the final Romeo’s arrival “it’s a proud day.”
He has been part of the project from day one.
“I was involved in the early stages of this project as a naval attache in the US when the early approaches were made to try and attract Australia to the Romeo Seahawk,” he said.
“Then coming back to Australia and being involved in the tender and evaluation and then Commander Fleet Air Arm and watching the facility for the new squadrons and this one start from the ground up.
“Watching the first machine arrive on a very stormy day in October 2014, and now here in September 2016 to see number 24, it’s fantastic.
“More importantly now being a part of the company that is looking after the ongoing partnership of maintenance repair and overhaul of these machines.
“And provide the service to the United States Navy as Australia’s principal agent and business partner in the delivery of the machines and the capability.
“It’s quite a fairy tale story.”
He said he takes a great deal of pride in seeing the final Romeo arrive.
“It’s a great day to see it all through,” he said.
“To be forwarded the opportunity to take on a leadership role on Lockheed Martin is really proving to be something which is far beyond what I thought it would be in many ways because of the breadth and depth of the company’s activities.
“It supports the Australian Defence Force in all sorts of ways.
“With over the horizon radar its supports the ambitions for the future combat, the future submarine, the joint strike fighter which we manufacture and, of course, the Romeo.
“It’s quite special.
“At the moment Nowra is the third largest footprint of Lockheed Martin people in Australia.”
He said the Romeo was the future of naval aviation.
“There are very few machines in the maritime domain with the sort of capabilities and technologies included in them to be able to extend the eyes and ears and the sense of the ships and weapons of the ships out such a long way as these do,” he said.
“I have previously said there are people who will eventually work on and fly these helicopters whose parents haven’t even met yet.
“It’s an incredible thing to own. We are one of the first countries outside the United States to acquire it and we now have three are at sea on the Anzac Frigates, doing what it was purchased to do.
“It comes at a time when a great number of navies in our region are all getting serious about the business of submarines and this will allow us to understand what those activities might mean and to play a part so stuff on the high seas gets to where it’s got to be.
“It always has been and always will be an exciting time as a naval aviator.”
Although based out of Canberra, Mr Di Pietro said his family would continue living in Nowra and he would commute.
