Nackeroo airstrip upgrade boosts Australia-US military capacity

A new runway opened this week has significantly increased the NT’s defence operational capacity. Read what it means.

Northern Australia’s national security has received a significant boost with the completion of upgrades to Nackeroo Airstrip at Bradshaw Field training area south of Darwin.

Part of the Commonwealth’s $747m NT Training Areas and Ranges Project, the Nackeroo Airstrip works included sealing the infrastructure to increase its capacity to take heavy aircraft.

Defence said the enhancements would allow military designated aircraft like the C-17A Globemaster and MV-22 Osprey to land at Bradshaw for the first time.

Territory company Sitzler has the contract for the ranges project upgrades, supported by a number of Territory contractors including RPS Group.

Brigadier Michael Say.

Located outside Timber Creek adjacent to the Territory-Western Australia border, the 9000sq km Bradshaw Base is by far the largest in the Northern Territory’s five Defence Force bases.

It provides the capacity for forces for a range of live-fire activities both on the ground and in the air and is a companion to its sister range at Shoalwater Bay in Queensland, which holds the biannual Talisman Sabre Exercise.

Sitzler’s website said at completion of the Bradshaw works, the combined training capacity for ADF and US forces would rival the size of the current exercises currently scheduled for Talisman Sabre.

Brigadier Mick Say, director general of the ADF’s force posture initiatives, said the upgrades would deliver military and civilian benefits.

An MV-22 Osprey lands at Bradshaw.

“The enhanced airstrip will provide enhanced access to Bradshaw Field training area,” Brigadier Say said.

“As well as Sitzler a broad range of companies have been involved which has increased the construction capability, which is excellent from an industry perspective as well.

“The upgrade significantly enhances the ability to undertake air, land and littoral operations from here which will lead to increased training outcomes and collective training with the United States, ADF and other partner countries.

“In 2007 there was a joint rapid construction of an airfield here between the United States and Australia but that was a dirt airfiled. It’s now been upgraded and hardened and that allows increased weight of aircraft to land, and that means we can get more stores, more supplies in at additional times, which increases point of entry for the training area from both air and land.

“It is a training area, but it’s obviously another airfield that provides the ability to undertake air and land operations and it enhances our ability to do operations if required.”

Works still to be completed at Bradshaw include a new medical facility, a 250-person training camp, an urban operations training facility, accommodation camp and road upgrades.

Air Commodore Ron Tilley also welcomed the changes.

“The works at Bradshaw Field Training Area will enhance training opportunities between Australia and the United States with C-17 Globemaster and MV-22 Osprey aircraft now being able to land at the airstrip on a more regular basis and carrying heavier loads,” he said.

“This handover also builds upon Defence’s relationship with the local traditional owners of Bradshaw with whom Defence has a longstanding and collaborative Indigenous Land Use Agreement.”

As well as Bradshaw, Robertson Barracks, Kangaroo Flats and Mount Bundey are also included in the Ranges upgrades.

Originally published as Nackeroo airstrip upgrade boosts Australia-US military capacity