Northern Territory airstrip upgrade enables greater training opportunities for Australia and United States

Australia and the United States will now have greater training opportunities in Northern Australia after the completion of upgrades to Nackeroo Airstrip at Bradshaw Field Training Area in the Northern Territory.

The upgrades to Nackeroo Airstrip include the extension of the runway and adding parking positions for aircraft, including C-17A Globemaster and MV-22 Osprey aircraft.  This will increase the capacity and capability for Australia and the United States, as part of our force posture cooperation, to conduct enhanced land and air operations out of the Bradshaw Field Training Area. 

The Nackeroo Airstrip upgrade is a major component of the $747 million United States Force Posture Initiatives Northern Territory Training Areas and Ranges Project. The Project will deliver essential upgrades to facilities and infrastructure at four Defence training areas in the Northern Territory.

The project will also provide a new medical facility, a 250-person training camp, urban operations training facility, accommodation camp and road upgrades at the Bradshaw Field Training Area. 

The works deliver on the priorities of the 2024 National Defence Strategy, including the delivery of a networked and resilient set of bases, predominantly across Northern Australia, strengthening Australia’s national resilience and focusing Defence’s international engagement efforts on enhancing interoperability and collective deterrence.

Traditional Owners conducted a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony to mark the completion of works and to recognise the 20th anniversary of the site’s Indigenous Land Use Agreement.

Quotes attributable to Air Commodore Ron Tilley, Director General Capital Facilities and Infrastructure Branch for Defence.

“The works at Bradshaw Field Training Area will enhance training opportunities between Australia and the United States with C-17 Globemaster and MV-22 Osprey aircraft now being able to land at the airstrip on a more regular basis and carrying heavier loads.

“This handover also builds upon Defence’s relationship with the local Traditional Owners of Bradshaw with whom Defence has a longstanding and collaborative Indigenous Land Use Agreement.”

Media Note

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