EADS opens Brisbane headquarters
European aerospace giant EADS's Australian footprint grew significantly last month when outgoing Minister for Defence Peter Reith opened the new Brisbane headquarters of the company's recently-acquired subsidiary, Australian Aerospace Pty Ltd.
Based at Brisbane Airport, Australian Aerospace (formerly Hawker Pacific's military business) is already a leading supplier of maintenance support services to the Australian and New Zealand Defence forces and will assemble the Army's Eurocopter Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters (ARH).
Eurocopter's Senior Executive Vice President, Philippe Harache, told visitors at the opening ceremony the establishment of Australian Aerospace was a major step forward in EADS and Eurocopter's long-term commitment to Australia and the Pacific region.
"The development of a manufacture, assembly and through-life support operation for the Eurocopter Tiger ARH, and the EC120 light helicopter which will be co-located with the Tiger, will assist in the development of industry skills capabilities as Australian Aerospace grows its activities across the EADS range of products," Harache said.
"We have high hopes for growing our relationship with the Australian Defence Force in the years ahead," he added. "The Airbus A330 air-to-air tanker is a potential candidate to meet the air-to-air refuelling capability requirement of the Royal Australian Air Force. The A400M Airlifter ... is a consideration for the growing need for troop airlift capabilities, the CASA C295 is a viable replacement for the Caribou when it is phased out at the end of the decade. We believe there are also opportunities for additional transport helicopters with the NH90 - the 18 seat tactical transport helicopter that will enter service in 2003."
"We are also ready to offer, in co-operation with local partners, innovative solutions to satisfy the needs of the military or corporate and utility communities, such as a PFI for the armed forces' training helicopters," Harache stated.
The establishment of Australian Aerospace's Brisbane headquarters was the last of three goals the company set itself to stimulate the growth of its business in Australia and the Pacific region, Harache told visitors.
"The first milestone was the purchase of the defence business of Hawker Pacific, a company that traces its history in Australian aviation back to 1927. We saw this acquisition as important because it enables us to preserve important skills and capabilities within the Australian aerospace industry. More significantly, we see it as the vehicle for the extension of the EADS technology into Australia and the regional markets."
The second milestone was the creation of Australian Aerospace Pty Limited as a separate entity within the EADS global network to be the springboard for future development, Harache explained. EADS expects to grow the business significantly through participation in forthcoming major international projects. The transfer of the necessary technical skills this will bring will result in valuable enhancements to the aerospace sector in Australia and introduce new engineering capabilities, he said.
"The third milestone was winning the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter program, Air 87 with the Tiger ARH - and we have been selected as the preferred tenderer. Eurocopter International Pacific based at Bankstown Airport in Sydney will be the prime contractor."
Australian Aerospace currently employs 135 people in two locations - at its Brisbane Airport Head Office, where it undertakes deep maintenance on RAAF Caribou medium-lift transport aircraft, and at RAAF Base Richmond, NSW, where it undertakes deep maintenance on both RAAF and RNZAF Orions.
The assembly in Queensland of Tiger ARHs for the Australian Army will create 60 direct jobs and many more indirectly by 2003, Harache predicted. As part of Project Air 87, Australian Aerospace and its local industry partners will also manufacture and export significant airframe components and wiring harnesses for the global Tiger market.
"The four key ingredients that will underpin our business in Australia - as it does everywhere - will be the delivery of product excellence; offering superior technology; providing outstanding customer service; and supplying customers with innovative solutions," Harache said.