An Indigenous-owned construction company has been tapped to develop new facilities at a RAAF bombing range.
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Construction firm Tiwi Partners has been awarded a $107.8 million contract to complete works at Delamere Air Weapon Range in the Northern Territory.
The works are set to involve the demolition of the old facility and construction of three new Mobile Emitter Site Mounds.
This is expected to ensure the RAAF base is equipped to support the Growler Airborne Electronic Attack capability.
The project is scheduled to commence in late September and conclude by June next year.
According to Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price, the contract with Tiwi Partners would support 150 jobs, with 80 per cent of the sub-contracted work awarded to local businesses.
“This is great news for the Northern Territory’s defence industry and for the broader NT economy,” Minister Price said.
“Delamere Air Weapons Range is an enduring site for Defence, providing significant training capability for our Air Force.
“… The Morrison government has brought forward funding for this project to provide much needed additional stimulus to the Northern Territory construction sector during this COVID-affected time.”
This is the latest defence contract awarded to Tiwi Partners, which was tapped to deliver a $7 million explosive ordnance storage facility at RAAF Base Darwin earlier this month.
The contract includes the construction of a new, special-purpose, earth-covered building within the existing explosive ordnance precinct at RAAF Base Darwin to support the Arafura Class offshore patrol vessels.
[Related: Indigenous company to build new facilities at RAAF Base Darwin]