In Australia, army veterans and engineers have volunteered to restore Taipan helicopters, which could then be transferred to Ukraine.
According to ABC, the only obstacle to agreeing on the transfer of Taipan to Ukraine is the veto of the Australian army. A representative of the Australian Ministry of Defense stated that the dismantling of the MRH-90 helicopters is already in the final stages, and none of them are currently in flying condition.
"The disposal method for aircraft parts, including sections of the airframe, that are not required by existing (MRH-90) operators is subject to an ongoing procurement process. These parts, which include a complex range of materials, will be disposed of in an environmentally conscious manner — this process has not yet been finalised," he said.
However, a group of former military personnel and technicians volunteered to restore Taipan on a voluntary basis, as they still have the necessary parts for operation. They have sent their proposal to the defense minister of the country and urged him to halt the disposal process.
"With a combined effort from the Australian community we could collectively save these valuable airframes for a country in desperate need of military hardware to strengthen and reinforce their capability," said former soldier Chris Moore.
Journalists found out that veterans could still restore a certain number of Taipan helicopters, but many of them have already been dismantled to a state that cannot be restored.
"Some of the helicopters recently pictured in Townsville are still in pretty good shape — landing gear, main gear box and head still installed – and there aren't enough Airbus technicians left up there to strip them further," said one industry representative.
