Amberley super base is up, up and away!

31 May, 2007

Already Australia’s largest operational air force base, RAAF Amberley will be a  “super base” by the end of this year, after an expansion program costing $285 million.

An additional 780 personnel will be posted to the base to staff its expanded facilities and services.

The program involves the upgrade of electrical, water supply, sewage, stormwater and communications networks, as well as the trunk road systems.

New aircraft parking spaces, a new maintenance hangar and office accommodation are being constructed, and runways and taxiways strengthened.

This is required for the Air Force’s new fleet of five air-to-air A330 refuelling aircraft to be operated by No 33 Squadron, a force of 150 personnel relocating from RAAF Base Richmond.

The new tankers will be capable of refuelling F/A-18, F-111, Airborne Early Warning and Control and Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, as well has having significant lift capability.

Together with the tankers that are due to enter service in 2009, the Army’s heavy lift road transport capability, run by the 9th Force Support Battalion, will also be stationed at Amberley.

At the same time, private companies servicing Queensland’s aerospace industry are to receive their own boost through the development of an enhanced Aerospace Park at Amberley.

Created in co operation with State Department of Development and Innovation, this
will help various aerospace companies with their individual expansion programs.

Such companies include Boeing Australia Ltd that employs 600 people, Aerostructures Australia, Rosebank Engineering, Tasman Aviation, VMS International, Honeywell and Qantas Defence Services.