Townsville Enterprise

Upgrading accommodation and facilities at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville to support new and upgraded land combat and amphibious warfare capabilities, representing an investment over the next decade of around $50 million. In the decade from 2025-26 out to 2035-36, additional investment of around $550 million is planned to be made to facilities at Lavarack Barracks, which will be needed to enhance these capabilities. Updating facilities at RAAF Base Townsville over the next ten years with an additional $100 million investment to support the introduction of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. An additional investment of around $500 million is also planned to be made to RAAF Base Townsville over the decade from 2025-26 to 2035-36, to support our future force, particularly the introduction of new strike and air combat capabilities. New facilities at RAAF Base Townsville will also support the introduction of an armed Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for our land forces in the early 2020s. The new CH-47F Chinook helicopters, and MRH-90 troop lift helicopters, will be supported by facilities upgrades at RAAF Base Townsville. A riverine patrol capability - a fleet of lightly armoured small water craft - will be re-established for our Army and based in Townsville from around 2022. New and enhanced weapons and explosive ordnance facilities at Townsville will allow new high technology weapon systems to be stored and maintained safely and securely. Redevelop the Townsville Field Training Area with an investment of around $20 million in the decade to 2025-26. Further investment of around $110 million between 2025-26 and 2035-36 is planned as training facilities are a key enabler of our current and future defence capability. "The investments outlined in the Turnbull Government's 2016 Defence White Paper will strengthen our Defence Force and provide a welcome boost to the economy of Townsville," Mr Jones said. "Defence is already a major employer in Townsville with more than 6800 Defence personnel based here, which has significant flow-on effects for the local economy.