Page 93 - Australian Defence Magazine Feb-Mar 2023

FEBRUARY-MARCH 2023 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
AIRPOWER RAAF TINDAL 93
gency Power Station with a new facility, and the replace- ment and/or upgrade of substations. Enhancements to hy- draulic infrastructure will include upgrades of the potable water, sewer and stormwater networks.
There will also be upgrades to the Control and Report- ing Unit Facilities, which will see the construction of two new buildings, as well as upgrades to the Security Force Amenities Facilities.
DEFENCE
US FPI AIRFIELD WORKS
As the US increases its military presence in the region, the US and Australia have partnered to improve infrastructure to support increased rotations of American air assets and personnel in Australia’s north, under the Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC) element of the US Force Posture Ini- tiatives (US FPI).
As such, concurrent to the Stage 6 redevelopment proj- ect, another $727 million is being spent on airfield works at Tindal, funded under the US FPI. The changes to the base under this part of the project will be designed to better ac- commodate large military aircraft such as the RAAF’s KC- 30A multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) and deployments of US Air Force B-1B and B-52H strategic bombers.
Although US bomber aircraft had been visiting Austra- lia since the early 1980s and conducting training in Aus- tralia since 2005, the upgrade will see dedicated facilities designed to make the regular stationing of these aircraft much more efficient.
The primary airfield works include the lengthening of
Tindal’s runway by 610m to 3353m
and widening of runway shoulders
by 3m to 10.5m, along with the re-
“THE PRIMARY AIRFIELD alignment, extension and widening
WORKS INCLUDE THE of a parallel taxiway for heavy aircraft
movements. The works on the runway
LENGTHENING OF commenced in early 2022.
TINDAL’S RUNWAY BY Associated infrastructure works
610M TO 3353M AND will see the construction of a new
WIDENING OF RUNWAY aircraft parking apron (which will be
able to house up to six American B-
SHOULDERS BY 3M 52H aircraft as well as other aircraft
TO 10.5M” types), a new six megalitre fuel farm,
a new Air Movements Terminal with
the capacity to handle 250 passengers
at a time, a re-configured aeronautical ground lighting sys-
tem, and navigation aids.
Defence confirmed to ADM in December 2022 that the Stage 6 redevelopment works and US FPI airfield works are on track for completion in late 2027. The programs have to- gether consumed $255 million to June 2022, with a 2022- 2023 budget estimate of $177 million.
Related work also underway under the US FPI agree- ment includes the construction of a bulk fuel storage fa- cility for the US Air Force at RAAF Darwin. The US$76 million project was awarded to Nova/Nacap, an Australian/ US Joint Venture. Construction commenced in 2020 and Defence expects it will be completed in mid-2023.
AIR 6000 – F-35A
A new purpose-built Visiting Squadron Facility will also
Defence’s largest procurement program to date is the ac- be constructed to improve the working conditions for air-
quisition of 72 F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters un- crew and maintenance personnel.
der Air 6000.
Lastly, the proposed permanent live-in accommodation will comprise of three new buildings providing 108 single occupancy units. A Defence spokesperson confirmed to ADM in December 2022 that the first building of the per- manent live-in accommodation is completed and currently in use.
As of December 2022, 60 F-35As had so far been accepted by Australia, with final aircraft expected to be
ABOVE LEFT: All construction work for the F-35A at Tindal was completed in May 2021