Former air force chief Geoff Brown says Defence should hand the army’s troubled MRH-90 Taipan and ARH Tiger helicopters to the RAAF, arguing it is “part of an air force’s DNA” to keep complex aircraft ready to fly.
The Airbus helicopters have consistently failed to meet planned flying hours, with Defence blaming “chronic” spare parts shortages and inaccurate manufacturer information on maintenance-to-flying-hour ratios for their recent poor availability.
Air Marshal Brown, who served as air force chief from 2011 to 2015, said the MRH-90 and ARH were demanding European designs and posed difficult logistical challenges, which meant they would never approach the serviceability of US-made helicopters such as the Blackhawk.
Onya, Brownie, his chopper roots are showing, despite a conversion to high-speed jets later in his career. One of several of my students to make it to the top.