Australia’s Army has confirmed the return of a variant of the Taipan helicopter in next month’s Talisman Sabre amphibious mega-exercise. This decision comes on the heels of one such tragic accident that permanently grounded the fleet two years ago. The tragedy claimed the lives of four Australian Defence Force members. The crash in July 2023 was the final blow for the MRH-90 Taipan helicopters. It forced their retirement and forced a cultural shift in Australia’s military aviation strategy.
Two years ago, the ADF experienced a traumatic tragedy during the same Talisman Sabre exercises. They were forced to deal with the reality of the destruction and the obstacles it presented. The crash claimed the lives of Captain Danniel Lyon and Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, both tragically. It took Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph “Phillip” Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs. In reaction to this tragedy, Australia retired its fleet of European-designed MRH-90 Taipans right after the deadly crash.
The MRH-90 Taipans had been consistently plagued by technical problems and groundings since their introduction into service in 2007. A comprehensive defence investigation released in May revealed that the pilot’s evasive actions during the crisis prevented further loss of life. As a result, the ADF has begun the replacement of the Taipans with new Black Hawk helicopters. These US-made helicopters will be of very limited operational capacity during the execution of the Military Exercises this year.
The Role of Taipan Helicopters
Despite being grounded, a version of the Taipan helicopter will still play a role in this year’s Talisman Sabre exercises. This important decision recognizes the balance necessary to keep our military in fighting shape while still prioritizing safety. The ADF has depended on MRH-90 Taipans over the last decade, before the Australian government slated them for retirement. Their participation in these exercises was huge and is still impressive.
New Zealand’s NH-90 fleet is performing well and has excellent flight availability. These helicopters just finished major upgrades and are nearly identical to the Taipan helicopters. This juxtaposition serves to underscore the malaise Australia has dealt with over the years with its Taipan fleet.
The Australian Army’s decision to field a Taipan variant shows how critical readiness is. This decision is a testament to the changing realities of the military landscape. This limited return to flight operations represents a careful step in the right direction as Australia continues treading waters testing the strength of its military path.
Monitoring Military Exercises
Yet as Talisman Sabre begins, China has sent several surveillance vessels to watch these exercises off Queensland’s coast. This unprecedented and provocative action further exacerbates security concerns among the participating countries. One official commented on the situation, noting, “My most up-to-date information is that they are not observing the exercise but the exercise hasn’t started yet, it starts today.”
Australia has made a firm commitment to ensure the security of all its operations through constant monitoring and analysis. Another official stated, “We’ll obviously observe their activities and monitor their presence around Australia but we’ll adjust how we conduct those exercises.” Adaptation is critical. Let me add one last point, that foreign observers usually come to learn intelligence. In particular, they aim to improve military protocol and military messaging.
See below for Defence Industry Minister Patrick Conroy’s comments on China not taking part. He called it “weird or surprising.” These conditions require tactical and technological adjustments to ensure the seamlessness and gameplay realism of operations during combinative exercises.
Future of Military Aviation
Moving from MRH-90 Taipans to Black Hawk helicopters is a big change for Australia’s military aviation. So far, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States are the countries to commit rotary-wing lift assets. This strong collaboration and cooperation will certainly improve our overall operational effectiveness during Talisman Sabre.
Military officials are already hard at work on this year’s exercises. They are truly committed to changing tactics to address changing threats, keeping pace with changes on the international stage. The ADF believes that monitoring activities is important and necessary. This is very important so that no intelligence leaks inadvertently exposing military operations or procedures occur.
