Australian Aerospace Engineering (AAE) has officially opened its new MRO facility marking a significant milestone in the growth of the Australian-owned business. Located adjacent to Albury Airport, the 1,900m² purpose‑built facility brings together aircraft maintenance, component overhaul, non‑destructive testing, machining, manufacturing, spare‑parts storage, and specialist surface treatment capabilities. The site also includes a brand-new semi‑downdraft heated spray booth and an adjoining helipad, designed to support operations for medium to large helicopter platforms. The new infrastructure provides AAE’s technicians and engineers with the specialist workspace, tooling and equipment needed to undertake increasingly complex maintenance, repair, overhaul and manufacturing activities in Australia.
AAE Chief Executive Officer Adam Johnston said, “Opening this new site represents the next chapter in the AAE story, a story built over more than 20 years through technical expertise, hard work, enduring partnerships, and a commitment to doing the job well for our customers. We’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come, from a small-scale family business to a trusted Australian SME supporting the Australian Defence Force and other major Defence, aviation and commercial customers. This new facility gives our people the space and resources to take on more complex work and deliver outstanding solutions for our customers.”
AAE has steadily grown over two decades, building strong relationships with the Australian Defence Force, major Defence businesses such as Lockheed Martin Australia, Sikorsky Australia, Pilatus Australia, BAE Systems and Pennant Australasia, and commercial customers such as Qantas, McDermott Aviation, Jet Aviation, LifeFlight, Toll Helicopters, Regional Express, Kestrel Aviation and many more.
Member for Albury Justin Clancy said, “The opening of AAE’s new facility is a fantastic outcome for Albury, creating opportunities for highly skilled local jobs and demonstrating what regional Australian businesses can achieve in advanced aerospace and Defence Industries. AAE’s journey from a three-person family business to a 14-strong team is a great example of the expertise and determination we have here in Albury. This facility provides a solid foundation for the company’s ongoing growth including new engineering and technical roles over the coming years. AAE’s investment is a vote of confidence in Albury, its people and our region’s future, and I look forward to seeing the company continue to grow.”
Lockheed Martin Australia expands Black Hawk work with AAE
Lockheed Martin Australia is expanding its partnership with Albury-based aviation SME, Australian Aerospace Engineering (AAE), with AAE set to take on a new role supporting the sustainment of the Australian Army’s UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter fleet. Under the current Black Hawk Integrated Support Contract between Lockheed Martin Australia and the Australian Army, Lockheed Martin Australia is progressing a new standing agreement with AAE to provide specialist MRO services. The partnership expands AAE’s longstanding relationship with Lockheed Martin Australia. AAE already supplies aerospace spare parts and material support to Sikorsky Australia’s sustainment operations at Nowra, NSW, and will now expand its role into Black Hawk component sustainment.
AAE will deliver the work from its new, purpose‑built MRO facility in Albury—a 1,900m² investment that bolsters the company’s capability, workforce and the region’s growing aerospace industry. The facility brings together aircraft maintenance, component overhaul, non‑destructive testing, machining, manufacturing, spare‑parts storage, a semi‑downdraft heated spray booth and more. It provides the specialist infrastructure, tooling and workspace required to support complex aerospace MRO and manufacturing activities, with highly skilled technicians and engineers delivering the work.
Sikorsky Australia General Manager Cliff Kyle said, “Lockheed Martin Australia is committed to growing Australia’s sovereign rotary wing workforce and supply chain to support Army’s Black Hawks. AAE is a terrific example of the specialist capability that exists within Australia’s SME sector. Expanding its role brings additional sovereign expertise and capacity in our sustainment network and helps ensure Black Hawks are available and mission-ready when the Australian Army needs them.”
AAE Chief Executive Officer, Adam Johnston, reflected that the Black Hawk opportunity marked an important milestone in the company’s growth. “From a three‑person family business to a mature aerospace SME, we are honoured to be entrusted to deliver complex outcomes for the Australian Defence Force. Our work supporting the Seahawk program and our longstanding relationship with Lockheed Martin Australia has helped us build the capability, systems and workforce to take on more complex sustainment work. Expanding into Black Hawk component MRO is an exciting next step for AAE. By keeping expertise, manufacturing, and supply chain capability within Australia, we strengthen resilience in our ability to respond quickly when Defence capability is needed.”
To date, Australia has received 19 new UH-60M Black Hawks, and the full complement is scheduled for delivery by 2030. The fleet has officially surpassed 5,000 total flying hours in-country since the initial airframes arrived in 2023.
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