$50 Million RAAF Base Darwin Face-lift

$50 Million RAAF Base Darwin Face-lift

The Australian Government has committed $49.8 million for the redevelopment of the Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin in the Northern Territory.

The RAAF Base Darwin Redevelopment Stage 2 will deliver new facilities and infrastructure upgrades for the base – a capital investment which will have economic benefits for the NT with significant opportunities for skilled consultants, local building sub-contractors and the construction industry in general during the construction period.

RAAF Base Darwin is a strategic Defence facility enabling the ADF to embark and disembark from operations overseas. The base is also an important staging post and provides significant support to exercises on a regular basis. To permit continued support of these operations, new and upgraded facilities are required to improve operational performance, maintain operational capability and to rectify identified occupational health and safety and environmental deficiencies.

Construction of RAAF Base Darwin commenced in the 1940s. A major expansion occurred in the 1950s and a significant number of these facilities are still in use. The ability of some of these facilities to meet the capability needs of the Air Force is now limited.

Some of these shortfalls were rectified by the RAAF Base Darwin Redevelopment Stage 1 which was completed in early 2005, and the Stage 2 redevelopment will rectify those deficiencies not addressed by Stage 1. This includes office accommodation, a mechanical workshop, fuel tanker wash bay and a new fuel farm and associated reticulation.

The project will generate employment and business opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises in Darwin and will not impact on the operation of commercial air traffic. It is expected that around 50 construction industry jobs will be created at the peak of construction.

Subject to Parliamentary clearance, detailed design for the project will commence in September 2008 and construction is planned for completion by September 2011.

ENDS

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