NOWRA, Australia, 12 August 2020 – Sikorsky Australia, a Lockheed Martin company, has been awarded a AUD$200m contract to deliver sustainment support services for the Royal Australian Navy’s fleet of 24 MH-60R (Romeo) maritime helicopters.

The five-year contract will see the creation of 48 new positions in Sikorsky Australia’s purpose-built Maintenance & Logistics Support facility at Albatross Aviation Technology Park, Nowra NSW.

Integrated with the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Air Arm, Sikorsky Australia will provide through-life sustainment support to the MH-60R fleet when on base and on deployment, including maintenance, training, warehousing, supply support system and test equipment services.  

Commenting on the award, Lockheed Martin Australia chief executive Joe North said the new contract confirmed Sikorsky Australia as the Fleet Air Arm’s trusted MH-60R sustainment partner.

“Sikorsky Australia has a proven track record as a sustainment partner to the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm and is an exemplar of Australian industry capability,” he said. “As the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter, the MH-60R is a critical capability for the Royal Australian Navy to defend Australia’s national interests and Sikorsky Australia engineers are proud to work alongside our service personnel to ensure the fleet’s operational availability is maximised.”

The contract award announcement coincides with Sikorsky Australia’s appointment of three new aircraft apprentices. Shoalhaven locals Nicola Douet, Bailey Cosgrove, and Corey Plummer will commence four-year placements with Sikorsky Australia and attend an accredited course provided by local training company Aerospace Training Services, with the goal of becoming fully qualified aircraft maintenance engineers.  

The new appointments bring Sikorsky Australia’s cohort of local area apprentices and trainees to ten and the total number of employees at Albatross Aviation Technology Park to 185.

Dale Hall, General Manager, Sikorsky Australia commented on the importance of the new contract for the Shoalhaven region while congratulating the three new local apprentices.

“The new MH-60R sustainment contract not only supports our existing operations, but also enables us to provide new job opportunities for the Shoalhaven at a time when they are needed most,” he said. “We welcome the three new apprentices starting their career journeys with Sikorsky Australia, and we look forward to seeing them develop as they pursue careers in aircraft maintenance.”

New Sikorsky Australia aircraft apprentice, Nicola Douet confirmed growing up in the Shoalhaven was a significant factor in her long-held ambition to work in aviation engineering.

“Growing up in Shoalhaven with the Fleet Air Arm so close, I have always been fascinated by aviation,” she said. “The opportunity to pursue my ambition and become an aircraft maintenance engineer with Sikorsky Australia in Nowra is a dream come true.”

The MH60 Romeo fleet was built by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, with the mission systems integrated and the full fleet delivered to the Royal Australian Navy by Lockheed Martin in 2016. 

Image Caption:

Marking the announcement at Sikorsky Australia’s purpose-built Maintenance & Logistics Support facility in Nowra are (left to right): Luca Taglieri, Avionics Apprentice, Sikorsky Australia; Nicola Douet, Structures Apprentice, Sikorsky Australia; Senator Jim Molan AO DSC; The Hon. Gareth Ward MP, Member for Kiama and NSW Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Service; The Hon. Shelley Hancock MP, NSW Minister for Local Government; The Hon. Stuart Ayres MP, NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney; and Dale Hall, General Manager, Sikorsky Australia.

About Lockheed Martin Australia

Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 1000 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.

Media Contact:

Michelle Scully, +61 448 032 387; michelle.m.scully@lmco.com