Both Fleet Base West (HMAS Stirling) and RAAF Base Amberley could be the recipients of proposed upgrades to infrastructure after announcements by the Finance and Defence Parliamentary Secretaries on 19 August.
Both the $367 million HMAS Stirling Redevelopment Stage 3A Project and the $348m Growler Airborne Attack Capability Facilities Project have been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works.
Defence Parliamentary Secretary Darren Chester said with the Navy’s western base now the home to half of the fleet and with double the population since it opened in the 1970s, there has been no commensurate upgrade to infrastructure.
“The redevelopment project will replace aging and outdated infrastructure, and improve the functionality and capability of existing facilities to support current and future naval operations,” Chester said.
Subject to Parliamentary approval of the Project, construction is expected to begin in mid-2017, with completion expected in early 2020.
The EA18-G Growler facilities project proposes to provide new or upgraded working accommodation, administration, logistics, and maintenance facilities, training and simulator facilities, multi-storey car park and associated support services and infrastructure at RAAF Base Amberley.
The project will also provide facilities to support the safe employment of the new Growler – Mobile Threat Training Emitter Systems at the Army Aviation Centre Oakey, Queensland and the Delamere Air Weapons Range in the Northern Territory.
“The project will provide fit for purpose facilities to support and sustain the operation of the EA-18G Growler capability,” Chester said.
Subject to approval, construction is expected to begin in the first half of 2016 with completion expected in 2023.