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The Department of Defence has confirmed a Townsville Air Force squadron will be relocated to Sale, Victoria.
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The Townsville-based eight-plane Beechcraft King Air fleet will move to Victoria's RAAF Base East Sale after nearly 10 years in Queensland. RAAF Base East Sale is the home of the RAAF's other eight-plane fleet of King Airs.
In a statement to Defence Connect, the Department of Defence said the move will take place throughout 2018.
"As a result of a sufficiently mature C-27J Spartan capability, and in accordance with the Capability Development Plan, King Air operations within 38 Squadron will transition to 32 Squadron over the course of 2018," the department said.
"The Townsville-based King Air aircraft at 38 Squadron were an interim capability bridge between the DHC-4 Caribou and C-27J Spartan. Air Force required the C-27J Spartan capability to be sufficiently mature before any transition decisions could be made."
Defence said its industry partner, Hawker Pacific, has been informed and a "graduated transfer" of the King Air will occur.
"Industry partner Hawker Pacific has been advised of the planned relocation as part of the King-Air maintenance contract agreement. A graduated transfer of the King Air will allow civilian contractors to manage their workforce in a sustainable manner by December 2018."
