RAAF Amberley, Australia’s biggest airbase is expanding
The Australian Department of Defence have chosen CPB Contractors, a CIMIC Group company to deliver the C‐17A Maintenance Facility, Aircraft Apron and Associated Infrastructure Project at the RAAF Base Amberley, which is located 40km south‐west of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia.
CIMIC Group is a subsidiary of Hochtief the giant international construction group.
The C‐17A project, valued at Australian $180 million, is designed to upgrade aircraft fleet facilities to a world‐class standard and improve the engineering & maintenance operations and ground support equipment facilities.
Construction is scheduled to commence in February 2017 and conclude in October 2018. A 1,500 strong workforce will be employed on the various infrastructure projects in the pipeline to accommodate and provide services for the rapid expansion of airpower capability underway in Australia.
RAAF Amberley is Australia’s biggest air base and this project will make it their largest Defence installation, with the number of C-17 Globemaster aircraft increasing from the original four to eight as well as two additional KC-30 Multirole Tanker transports. New hangar and tarmac area will be constructed.
The bases existing squadrons which fly the C-17, KC-30 and F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter planes will soon be joined by C-27J Tactical Airlift Squadron and Growler EA-18G Electronic Warfare Squadron and Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
Additional project have been planned to provide facilities for the ten C-27J Spartan aircraft and around 300 RAAF personnel. The bases Flight Line Master Plan has specified a large piece of ground to the west of the runway which will become tarmac space for airlift aircraft and facilities for the new Squadron.
The realignment of the operations and support areas at RAAF Amberley will also include road diversions and facilities moving closer to the runway. The Air Traffic Control Tower and the Fire Station are to be resituated closer to the main runway.
