The Project

AIR5428 was a $330 million national defence infrastructure programme supporting Australia's transition to fifth-generation air combat capability. Delivered by the Managing Contractor in collaboration with Woods Bagot, the programme introduced new basic and advanced flight training systems across multiple RAAF bases — taking a trainee from initial flight screening through every phase of pilot training, up to entry into the Air Force Lead-in Fighter and Operational Conversion Units.

The programme was fast-tracked to meet the Australian Defence Force's operational readiness requirements for the F-35 Lightning II. There was no margin for delay.

What was delivered

The programme delivered purpose-built facilities across five locations — RAAF East Sale, RAAF Pearce, RAAF Gin Gin, RAAF Edinburgh, and RAAF Williamtown — each with its own site constraints, stakeholder environment, and delivery challenges managed concurrently under a single programme framework.

At RAAF East Sale, a new Basic Flight Training School and Central Flying School totalling 22,000m² was delivered — including working accommodation, learning spaces, flight training simulators, aircraft storage and maintenance hangars, and live-in accommodation for 135 flight cadets, together with new working accommodation for the Training Aircraft Systems Program Office.

At RAAF Pearce, a new Second Flight Training School totalling 16,000m² was delivered — working accommodation, learning spaces, simulators, and aircraft storage and maintenance hangars, along with alterations and additions to existing buildings.

At RAAF Gin Gin, a new aircraft training support facility was constructed. At RAAF Edinburgh, the existing hangar was converted to accommodate PC-21 aircraft. Aircraft parking aprons and flight line shelters were delivered at East Sale, Pearce, and Gin Gin.

A key innovation on the programme was the application of Modern Methods of Construction — including the use of Self-Propelled Modular Transporters to relocate aircraft shelters over multiple weekends, eliminating weeks of conventional construction activity and minimising disruption to live base operations.

The outcome

The programme was delivered to schedule and budget across all five sites — a result that required sustained performance across a complex, concurrent, multi-base programme with no tolerance for delay.

Key milestones achieved:

• Design to government approval in five months — a compressed approvals process that maintained the programme's fast-tracked timeline and protected the downstream construction schedule across all five bases.

• Mobilisation to site within nine months of design commencement — establishing the programme framework, supply chain, and site teams concurrently to meet the ADF's operational readiness requirements for the F-35 transition.

• Defect-free handover of every stage across all five bases — a standard rarely achieved on programmes of this scale and complexity, reflecting the rigour of the quality and delivery framework applied throughout.

• Handover of the synthetic training wing at RAAF Base East Sale ahead of Team 21's installation and commissioning programme for the flight simulators — the critical path milestone that determined whether the ADF could meet its pilot training commitments for the F-35.

• Application of MMC and DfMA for the construction of two-level accommodation buildings — compressing programme and reducing disruption to live base operations through offsite manufacture and rapid on-site assembly.

• Use of Self-Propelled Modular Transporters at RAAF Base Pearce for the demolition and installation of new flight line shelters — completed over multiple weekends with zero disruption to flight operations, demonstrating what is achievable when programme leadership, innovation, and Commonwealth stakeholder management operate in alignment.

Our role

Delivered under the leadership of Brad Eathorne as Contractor's Representative and Project Director for the Managing Contractor, with responsibility for programme leadership, client engagement, fast-tracked design approvals, and delivery across all five national sites.