Aircraft
Border Protection Command uses assets from the Australian Defence Force, Customs, AMSA and contractors, to execute a particular operation during a particular period.
Coastwatch's fleet of specialised fixed wing aircraft and helicopters undertake electronic and visual surveillance of coastline and offshore maritime areas as dictated by Border Protection Command's information requirements.
Coastwatch Fleet composition from 2007 onwards
From 2007 Coastwatch will be conducting a renewal and rationalisation of its fixed and rotary wing aircraft fleet. Ministerial press releases about the new contracts dated 6 March 2006 and 12 July 2005 are available at the Media Room.
The fixed-wing fleet will be provided by Surveillance Australia Pty Ltd and be based across Northern Australia at Broome, Darwin, Horn Island and Cairns. Each aircraft will be capable of searching an area of more than 110,000 square km.
New and upgraded helicopters will be provided by two contractors; Australian Helicopters Pty Ltd and Helicopters Australia Pty Ltd.
Fixed-wing fleet
The fixed-wing fleet will comprise:
- six de Havilland Dash 8 - 202 aircraft and
- four de Havilland Dash 8 - 315 aircraft.
All fixed-wing aircraft will be fitted with improvements in:
- electro optic and infrared sensors to provide visual identification over significantly improved distances
- digital radar for greater detection distances against a target and
- Surveillance Information Management (SIM) capability to manage surveillance sensors and communications.
The Dash 8 series aircraft have a proven capability in maritime surveillance and can operate in all weather conditions.
Border Protection Command will also continue to use the services of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. These aircraft are based out of Adelaide.
Rotary-wing fleet
Australian Helicopters Pty Ltd will provide two helicopters, both based in the Torres Strait:
- one Eurocopter AS350B3 Squirrel to replace the Bell Longranger
- an upgraded Bell 412 twin-engine helicopter.
A different contractor, Helicopters Australia Pty Ltd, will provide a rapid response helicopter, based in Gove using:
- one BK-117-B2 twin-engine helicopter in the interim (from May 2007) until a new Eurocopter-145-twin-engine helicopter enters service in 2008.
This helicopter will be used to transfer armed Customs officers and other agency officials in response to sightings of vessels on or near the coast. In particular this rapid response helicopter will enable faster access to remote regions to enable better management of any biosecurity risks associated with illegal foreign fishing vessels and landings.
When not required for response work, the helicopter will contribute to the maritime surveillance program.
Fleet composition prior to 2007
Prior to 2007, Coastwatch contracted the following aircraft fleet for surveillance purposes:
- five De Havilland Dash 8 - 200 series aircraft fitted with an SV-1022 digital radar and Wescam 16 electro-optics sensor turret. These aircraft are also fitted with INMARSAT technology to allow live data, imagery and video to be passed to the National Surveillance Centre
- three Reims F406 aircraft equipped with SV-1022 radar and night vision goggles, for both visual and radar work adjacent to the shore
- six Pilatus Britten Norman Islanders and one Shrike AC 500 Aero Commander for visual surveillance
- one Bell 206 Longranger IV used for visual surveillance, client transport, and logistics support and
- one Bell 412EP helicopter with an FLIR Systems Star Safire II electro-optic sensor turret.
Aircraft pictures and capabilities
Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Maritime Patrol Aircraft
Surveillance is also carried out by the Royal Australian Air Force using AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority contracted aircraft
When not taking part in search and rescue operations, Border Protection Command draws upon AMSA's Dornier search and rescue aircraft to contribute to civil maritime surveillance - Dornier fact sheet.
Border Protection Command supports search and rescue operations that are coordinated by the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) Australia, which is part of AMSA. When called upon, the Command contributes Coastwatch aircraft and releases other aircraft and ships. The search and rescue service covers an area of 52.8 million square kilometres of the Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans.