Problem plagued MRH-90 Taipan helicopter retired early from ADF

There has been a big development involving the ADF’s grounded fleet of problem plagued MRH-90 Taipan helicopters.

The grounded fleet of Australian Defence Force MRH-90 Taipan helicopters will be immediately scrapped from service, 14 years ahead of initial schedule.

The long troubled Taipan had been grounded multiple times, the latest in July after one ditched during exercise near Lindeman Island on the Queensland coast killing all four ADF personnel on-board.

In a statement Friday Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the helicopter would be withdrawn early as Defence would accelerate the acquisition of its replacement the UH-60M Black Hawk.

The Taipan was initially to be in service until 2037 but a series of well documented malfunctions and design faults forced Defence to finally announce it would be withdrawn in December 2024 and now one year earlier than that.

Australian Army aircrewman Warrant Officer Class Two Benjamin Dwyer from the School of Army Aviation prepares to conduct a rescue by winch of a community member from an MRH-90 Taipan, over Lismore, NSW during Operation Flood Assist 2022. Picture: Defence

“To help mitigate further impacts on Army’s operations and training, the Government has been exploring options to accelerate the delivery of Black Hawks to Australia and for aircrew training with our international partners,” Mr Marles said.

The first three of 40 planned Black Hawk purchases were already in Australia and one made its maiden flight here last week.

Mr Marles said at the time of the latest incident on July 28, the government had announced the fleet would be grounded until investigations were completed but with at least one of the four probes to continue “well into 2024” he decided to withdraw them early. He added the move did not presuppose the outcome of that investigation.

“The MRH-90 has been an important capability for our country and Defence Force, and I recognise the hard work of the hundreds of people who dedicated themselves to acquiring, operating and sustaining the aircraft.

“The first of the 40 Black Hawks that will replace the MRH-90 have arrived and are already flying in Australia. We are focused on seeing their introduction to service as quickly as possible.”

Royal Australian Navy sailors from HMAS Huon conduct search operations near Lindeman Island.

He added the safety and well being of personnel remained the government’s priority.

The four crew killed in the fatal crash were Captain Daniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs.

On the question of a capability gap, Mr Marles conceded there would be challenges in the short term till more Black Hawks came on line.

Another MRH-90 ditched in March this year in waters at Jervis Bay in NSW with 10 crew on-board, none of whom sustained major injuries.

Australian Army soldier Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph Laycock, 6th Aviation Regiment, killed after a Taipan MRH-90 helicopter crashed near Queensland's Hamilton Island. Picture: Supplied/Department of Defence

The Taipan’s manufacturer Airbus had been advised of the permanent withdrawal of the 47 helicopters which had been acquired at a cost of more than $3.7 billion.

Ironically the advanced chopper was purchased by the John Howard government over the option of Black Hawks, regarded as the most reliable chopper of its type in the world, because of assembly jobs it would create locally.

It came into service in 2017 but never lived up to its promised capability as it was plagued with issues and its maintenance and operating costs made it almost cost prohibitive, with operating costs alone coming to more than $50,000 an hour.

It was grounded at least 12 times in that period for between one and three months and at one stage forced Army to lease commercial helicopters for training and operations.

Originally published as Problem plagued MRH-90 Taipan helicopter retired early from ADF