Australia plans to ditch European Taipan helicopters for US Black Hawks, months after Aukus pact

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia is improving its defence capabilities and the Airbus Taipans ‘weren’t meeting their marks’

This comes less than three months after Australia cancelled a deal to buy French submarines in a switch that deeply angered Paris

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A US Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is seen at the 2021 Dubai Airshow. Australia is looking at buying 40 of the helicopters amid concerns about its MRH90 Taipan fleet. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:15pm, 10 Dec 2021

Australia’s military said on Friday it plans to ditch its fleet of European-designed Taipan helicopters and instead buy US Black Hawks and Seahawks because the American machines are more reliable.

The move comes less than three months after Australia cancelled a deal to buy French submarines in favour of building nuclear-powered submarines that use US and British technology after forming the Aukus security alliance with the two countries, in a switch that deeply angered France.

Australia has 47 Taipan helicopters that were designed by Airbus and were supposed to last until 2037 but have been plagued with groundings. Australia will stop using them and buy 40 Lockheed Martin-designed helicopters in a switch that will cost A$7 billion (US$4.8 billion).

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia was improving its defence capabilities and had built good partnerships, particularly with the US.

“The Taipans weren’t meeting their marks. Simple as that,” Morrison said. “And we want to make sure that our defence forces have the best possible equipment to defend this country, and the Black Hawks will provide that.”

Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the Black Hawks are much cheaper to fly and that officials have had concerns about the Taipan programme for the past decade.

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