Babcock secures contract with Australian Border Force

Image courtesy Babcock / copyright Airbus

The eight-year contract with the Commonwealth Government will deliver two new mission modified helicopters to Australia’s Border Force, plus air crews and ongoing aircraft maintenance.

Babcock’s service provides all-weather airborne services enabling critical deterrence, prevention and response operations from Horn Island, in the Torres Strait. The service provides multiagency capability for a range of maritime security threats including illegal fishing, illegal immigration and marine pollution.

As part of the new contract, Babcock will deliver two cutting-edge Airbus H145 D3 helicopters fitted with latest technology sensors, mission management systems and long-range tanks to provide a significant upgrade to surveillance capability and protection in the region.

Babcock will recruit 16 new staff, including pilots, surveillance crew and engineers to support the new contract. The state-of-the-art aircraft are expected to be in service from September 2026.

Babcock have been an integral and trusted provider to the Australian Border Force since 1995.

Andrew Cridland, Babcock Australasia CEO said: “Safeguarding our borders is critical to ensuring national security.

“These state-of-the-art aircraft integrates best-in-class technology bringing the world’s highest surveillance capabilities to our borders.

“Babcock has been an integral and trusted provider to the Australian Border Force for three decades, ultimately keeping our nation safe and secure.

“We are very proud of our long-standing relationship with the Torres Strait community and through this new contract we will be able to extend our support even further through local engagement, upskilling and infrastructure development.”