According to a September 16 joint statement from the Australian Department of Defence, RAAF Base Townsville has entered full-scale development under a $700 million modernization program. The project will deliver new hangars, training centers, and command facilities to house the Army’s AH-64E Apache Guardian fleet and expand Australia’s northern aviation posture.
16th Aviation Brigade and 1st Aviation Regiment Relocating
The initiative includes relocating the 16th Aviation Brigade headquarters from Brisbane and staging the move of the 1st Aviation Regiment from Darwin to Townsville. Once complete, the Apaches will operate alongside an enlarged CH-47F Chinook presence, enabling integrated training and operational readiness from a single hub.
Australian Apache Configuration
Australia’s AH-64Es will feature the M230 30 mm chain gun, AGM-114R Hellfire missiles, and 70 mm rockets with APKWS guidance kits, all networked through the Longbow fire-control radar and M-TADS targeting suite. This package delivers a significant leap in precision strike and armed reconnaissance capability for the Australian Army.
Infrastructure and Training Investments
Townsville’s expansion includes purpose-built hangars, maintenance workshops, and a full-scale simulation hall for Apache pilot training. The facilities have been designed to support a higher operational tempo, from daily force generation to forward deployments. CPB Contractors has been appointed as the managing contractor, with construction expected to continue through 2028.
LAND 4503 Program and Boeing Support
Under LAND 4503 Phase 1, Australia is acquiring 29 AH-64E Apaches through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program to replace its ARH Tiger fleet. A seven-year sustainment contract signed in 2024 with Boeing Defence Australia—worth roughly $306 million—covers maintenance, logistics, engineering support, and workforce training. The FMS package also includes T700-GE-701D engines, M-TADS/PNVS sensors, Longbow radars, Link 16 terminals, MUMT-X teaming systems, M299 launchers, and a comprehensive weapons set with Hellfire missiles and over 2,000 APKWS kits.
The AH-64E’s Combat Edge
The AH-64E Guardian is a fully networked attack helicopter equipped with uprated 701D engines, composite rotor blades, advanced radar warning systems, and survivability suites. Crews can receive full-motion video from UAS, retask sensors, and rapidly hand off targets, shortening kill chains and reducing operational risk—capabilities that bring the Australian Army in line with the U.S. Army’s modern combat aviation network.
Northern Posture Alignment
Stationing the Apache regiment in Townsville supports the 2024 National Defence Strategy’s focus on northern defense posture. From this base, Apache detachments can cover northern and northwestern approaches, escort Chinook lift missions, conduct armed reconnaissance ahead of combined arms teams, and deliver precision fires against armor, artillery, and air-defense radars.
Delivery Timeline
Initial aircraft are set to arrive in late 2025, with all 29 helicopters delivered by 2029. The new simulation hall and training infrastructure will allow pilots, technicians, and instructors to build experience ahead of final facility completion, ensuring a smooth transition to full operational capability.
