Royal Australian Air force (RAAF) recently changed its air force basic training for its pilots from Tamworth, New South Wales to Sale, Victoria. It will be effective from 2019. The biggest provider of aircrafts, “Lockheed Martin” has recently won the contract for a whooping period of 25 years. Earlier and till 2019, the contract will be handled by BAE Systems Australia, company of UK.
The main reason for this contract change was the profit the company showed over the 25 year period which is in terms of the economic gains of around $500 million. The economic boost will also add to the value of $17 – 19 million a year. To contradict this, it has indirectly affected the economic growth of Tamworth. To compensate for this loss of contract, BAE Systems has also won a meager 4 year contract with the Royal Brunei Air force but there will be a major loss for BAE Systems as it has lost a pivotal contract.
The other advantages of the new contract with Lockheed Martin are the surge in the number of the graduate pilots which will be from 77 to 105 each year and the trainee pilots will be 165 from 2019 every year. This also includes new humongous machines that will show their power and agility to breach the skies that range from new Pilatus PC 21 replaced by PC 9 and Hawker Pacific.
Chief Air Force Marshal,Leo Davies describes his triumph by saying, “The aviation pilot training system will ensure that new technologies are used in the simulator and the students try to learn more from the simulator as it will build more efficient and flexible pilots for the near future”.
In short, a happy moment for Sale and a gloomy one for Tamworth. But the best is in for the Australian Air Force with regards to the economy and the number of flight pilots it will produce every year with the high efficient powerful machines from Lockheed Martin.
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