Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited and officially opened the Air Affairs Facility at the Albatross Aviation Technology Park last Thursday 24 March.
Air Affairs has been providing target services, fire surveillance and precision engineering support services to the ADF, other military forces and Governments since 1995.
The event, also attended by local federal member Ann Sudmalis, was a proud moment for Air Affairs managing director Chris Sievers who welcomed the guests.
"The reason the facility had been built was to establish a centre of excellence in our training services for the ADF and to cater to an export market around the world," Sievers said.
"We've grown from 35 people to around 85 in the last three months which is not a small feat, and that has come about because of the Jet Aircraft Support Contract the company had recently won."
The Jet Air Support Contract provides Training Support Tasks including Aerial Target Towing and Tactical Flight Missions in support of the Navy and Air Force. The contract, which commenced on 1st October 2015, will allow Air Affairs to operate seven Learjets with target towing and special mission equipment.
(L-R) The Federal Member for Gilmore, Ann Sudmalis MP, The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull MP and managing director Air Affairs Australia Chris Sievers. Credit: Air Affairs Australia
Prime Minister Turnbull congratulated the employees gathered on their "brilliance, innovation, hard work and skills which had resulted in these companies being able to develop and produce the best products which were now being exported to the rest of the world".
"This is what our Defence White Paper – our vision for securing Australia in the 21st century – is all about. It is about investing in Australian industry, Australian jobs and Australian innovation," PM Turnbull said.
Every page of the Innovation Plan, Turnbull said, was about innovation, technology and science and "being at the cutting edge".
"What we are now doing is putting those big dollars – billions of dollars – into Australian innovation and industry to ensure we have the best products and capabilities to then build up the defence industries which will grow and export as demonstrated by Air Affairs here today."