Aircraft Have Flown More Than 60,000 Hours In Military Service

Australian Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare has released the Request for Tender for the sale of the Navy's remaining Sea King Helicopters.

Australian Navy Sea King File Photo

"The Sea Kings will be withdrawn from service in December 2011," Clare said. "They've been the workhorse of the Navy, having flown in excess of 60,000 hours in operations in Australia and overseas. The latest example of their work was the disaster relief and search and rescue missions they conducted during the Queensland floods."

Clare announced on 7 June 2011 that Sea King Shark 07 would be preserved at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Nowra with the remaining aircraft to be offered for sale by tender. "This is a really versatile helicopter and a proven capability. The Sea Kings could be used for a range of things like fire fighting, disaster relief, search and rescue, by another Navy or commercially," Mr Clare said.

The sale of the Sea Kings will be marketed across the world including major Defence expos in the United Kingdom and Canada in September.

FMI: www.defence.gov.au