Australia is disposing of helicopters: explained why Taipan will not be transferred to Ukraine

Australia scraps helicopters/Getty Images (illustrative photo)

Australia scraps 45 MRH-90 Taipan helicopters. They will do this, despite the fact that Ukraine requested their receipt in December 2023.

The Minister of Defense Industry explained why Taipan is being scrapped, and They won’t send it to Ukraine. Pat Conroy said that our state invited helicopters too late, when the decision on disposal had already been made.

Why helicopters will not be provided to Ukraine

In September 2023, the Australian government decided to permanently dismantle the Taipan helicopter fleet after four military personnel were killed during a training exercise in Queensland, the minister said.

They should be replaced by American Black Hawks. At the time, there was zero interest in buying Taipan, says Conroy.

“There was zero interest in buying helicopters. So the best solution for taxpayers was to dismantle the planes and start selling parts. Because the other option would have been to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to Airbus Australia to keep these planes flying when there was no prospect of their is being used again by the Australian army,” the minister emphasized. .

Ukraine made a formal request for the MRH-90 in December, despite well-documented safety and operational problems, Conroy emphasized.

Also added that over two years of full-scale war, Australia provided Ukraine with $910 million in aid. In particular, 730 is military.

By the way, several Australian legislators supported sending Taipan helicopters to Ukraine. Senator Pauline Hanson has called for a halt to helicopter scrapping.

Taipan helicopters scrapped by Australia are to be sent to Ukraine. This will improve Ukraine's ability to evacuate soldiers from the battlefield. If our Defense Forces no longer use these helicopters, I see no harm or great cost in supplying a limited number to Ukraine,” Hanson said.

Also noted that the disposal of the Taipan by the time Australia receives the Black Hawk, it will leave the country without the means to respond to military emergencies or natural disasters.