Prime Minister Scott Morrison has returned to the marginal federal seat of Gilmore on the New South Wales South Coast to further detail a move to buy more Seahawk helicopters from the United States.
In October 2021 the US State Department approved the sale of an additional 12 Lockheed Martin MH-60R Sea Hawk naval combat helicopters to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
In December, Defence Minister Peter Dutton announced plans to purchase off-the-shelf Sikorsky-manufactured helicopters at a cost of billions of dollars.
Mr Morrison outlined the plan in a hanger at the Lockheed Martin facility in Yerriyong where the helicopters will be maintained.
"We will acquire an additional 12 MH-60R Romeo maritime helicopters and will also acquire an additional 13th Romeo to replace the loss of a Romeo in the Philippines Sea in October 2021," he said.
Three personnel had to be rescued after they were forced to ditch the helicopter into the sea.
It is the Prime Minister's second visit to the marginal seat during the election campaign.
Mr Morrison said the acquisitions would cost $1.5 billion and another $1 billion had been allocated for maintenance.
Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand chief executive Warren McDonald said the company was proud to see the commitment.
"It means an expansion of over 50 per cent of the fleet so it will go from 24 to 36 – a great opportunity for the Shoalhaven," Mr McDonald said.
"They are multi-role helicopters – anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface unit warfare and search and rescue."
Mr McDonald said it would lead to the creation of additional jobs.
"We have 190 people here and it will increase by 90.
"Their responsibility is to make sure it is maintained, to make sure it is logically capable and available, and it has a very high readiness rate."
He said the local workforce provided exceptional service.
"They have deep pride, deep experience and it shows in results, we get incredible availability out of these helicopters."
Mr McDonald said the fleet would be built in the US and delivered between 2025–2026.
Lockheed Martin will need to expand its warehousing to cater for spare parts.
A 'political' re-announcement
On the "khaki" election footing as the campaign entered the final two weeks, Mr McDonald, a retired Air Marshal with 41 years' experience in the Australian Defence Force, said the focus on defence spending was important.
"Anything we can do to ensure our position is highly valued," he said.
"Anything additional to this type of capability that provides employment like it will do in the Shoalhaven is very welcome."
Labor MP for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips said the delivery was welcome but had been politicised during the campaign.
"Obviously I welcome it, defence in our local area plays a significant role but [I'm] just disappointed the Prime Minister had decided to make this political by this re-announcement in the last minute of the election campaign," she said.
Ms Phillips holds the seat by 2.6 per cent is facing a challenge from former NSW Minister Andrew Constance.
