The Australian Army is preparing its Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter fleet and crew for initial operational status.
Since Australia received the first batch of choppers in August 2023, its soldiers and aviators have completed over 1,400 flight hours, undertaking platform training, special operations activities, and first-of-class flight trials.
Further training will continue in November, as two more Black Hawk helicopters are anticipated for delivery. Meanwhile, aircraft testing and evaluation, as well as counter-terrorism training, will be conducted across the greater Sydney region.
The delivery of the full fleet of 40 twin-engine medium-lift military helicopters, valued at 2.8 billion Australian dollars ($1.9 billion), is expected by 2030.
“This specialised, complex training will ensure our soldiers and aviators are able to rapidly respond to domestic emergencies and potential security threats,” Commander Army Aviation Command Major General Stephen Jobson said.
“We thank the New South Wales community for the ongoing support, and appreciate your patience while we conduct essential training that is critical to maintaining our world-class counter-terrorism response.”