Black Hawks for Australia fast-tracked after Taipan tragedy

Following a deadly crash off the coast of Queensland involving a Taipan helicopter, the United States has quickly acted to replace the trouble-plagued fleet.

Richard Marles prior to a bilateral exchange at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Picture: US Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders

The US has fast-tracked the delivery of Black Hawk helicopters to Australia to replace the problem-plagued MRH-90 Taipan fleet that was mothballed after a crash off the coast of Queensland killed four troops in July.

Defence Minister Richard Marles thanked his US counterpart Lloyd Austin for the assistance following a meeting at the Pentagon in Washington DC, saying it would “minimise as much as possible” the capability gap caused by the grounding of the Taipan helicopters.

The fleet was due to operate until 2037 but that was brought forward to December next year after a series of malfunctions and design faults. In the wake of the July crash during a training exercise, Mr Marles then pulled the Taipan helicopters from service immediately.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles participates in a meeting with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon. Picture: Getty Images North America / Getty Images via AFP

“We are really welcoming the efforts of the United States in fast-tracking Australia’s procurement of the Black Hawk helicopters,” Mr Marles said.

“This is … an example of America standing up in a moment which we really need it.”

While Mr Marles would not confirm how many of the 40 Black Hawks had already been delivered to Australia, he said: “This will make a difference in ensuring that we move to the new capability as soon as possible and that we minimise capability gaps.”

The Deputy Prime Minister is spending two days in the US before travelling to the UK to meet his defence counterparts there as well.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, right, welcomes Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles as he arrives for meetings at the Pentagon. Picture: AFP

Speaking after a day of talks that also included US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro and White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Mr Marles said he was “very happy” with the progress of American legislation needed to implement the AUKUS pact.

He played down the possibility of another roadblock slowing the passage of the laws, after new Republican Speaker Mike Johnson revealed he wanted to pass a funding package specifically for Israel’s war against Hamas, rather than a broader budget requested by the Biden administration that included $US3.4bn (A$5.3bn) for the US submarine industrial base.

Lloyd Austin and Richard Marles stand for the US and Australian anthems in Washington, DC. Picture: AFP

That money was put on the table to reassure other Republicans who had threatened to block a law enabling the sale of US submarines to Australia unless production of their Virginia-class boats was accelerated.

Mr Marles also rejected former Liberal foreign minister Alexander Downer’s criticism that the pact was a “fairytale” and “pork barrelling”, saying it was “very important for the Australian government, for the Australian people that the AUKUS arrangement is in place”.

Mr Austin, in a statement after their meeting, said: “The future of our relationship, and especially our defence co-operation, looks brighter than ever.”

“We share a vision with our friends across the Indo-Pacific of a region that is free, open and secure. And we’re committed to making that vision a reality,” he said.

Originally published as Black Hawks for Australia fast-tracked after Taipan tragedy