Herbert MP Phil Thompson slams French President Emmanuel Macron’s move to keep MRH-90 Taipan Helicopters

A Townsville MP has blasted a potential bid by the French President to scrap the government’s plan to retire an “unsafe” helicopter fleet.

A Townsville MP has blasted a potential bid by the French President to scrap the government’s plan to retire an “unsafe” helicopter fleet.

The Australian on Thursday reported that in an upcoming visit, President Emmanuel Macron would try to sway Prime Minister Anthony Albanese into keeping a contentious fleet of 47 MRH-90 Taipan Helicopters.

The former government in December 2021 announced plans to replace the fleet with US Black Hawks – with a $2.8bn purchase of 40 choppers currently on hold.

It has been reported that the partly French-government owned Airbus said issues with the MRH-90s were the result of early acquisition failings and ineffective maintenance processes, which have now been “largely resolved”.

But Herbert MP Phillip Thompson said he believed that was not the case.

“That is simply not true,” Mr Thompson said.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to members of the press in New York on September 21, 2022. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

Herbert MP Phil Thompson. Picture: Evan Morgan

“The MRH-90s have been a point of concern for the Australian Defence Force for more than 10 years …

“They have technical issues constantly, they are a failure.”

He said he had seen “first-hand” MRH-90s lined up on the tarmac at Townsville, with only one able to get in the air, calling them “unsafe”.

“It doesn’t take off, which means it is rendered useless … it is not fit for purpose and cannot do its job … therefore it should be put to bed,” Mr Thompson said.

Australian Defence Force MRH-90 Taipan helicopters from the Army Aviation Training Centre at Oakey in Queensland prepare to takeoff. Picture: Bradley Richardson

It is understood that concerns are held within the Albanese government that dumping the helicopters more than 10 years before their planned retirement would drain billions of dollars from the Defence budget and set back Australian-France relations.

Mr Thompson said the safety of Australian soldiers should be at the forefront of the government’s decision-making.

“The safety and security, and military capability should be the highest priority – not wanting to get in the good books with President Macron,” he said.

“The lives of Australian soldiers matter more to me than what the French president thinks,

“Black Hawks are proven in battle, humanitarian and in natural disaster missions – we should go with what works.”

Addressing concern over the employment of local engineers and maintenance staff working on MRH-90 choppers, Mr Thompson said his intent was for staff to be converted to work on the Black Hawks.

Originally published as Herbert MP Phil Thompson slams French President Emmanuel Macron’s move to keep MRH-90 Taipan Helicopters