List of Australian Army aircraft is a list of all aircraft operated by the Australian Army since its formation. The Army flies helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and also unmanned aerial vehicles of various types. The Army has a diverse portfolio of lift assets including fleet of latest Chinook helicopters, 22 Tiger attack helicopters, 15 EC135 (which it shares with Navy for training), and increasing numbers UH-60. A few other types, such as leased AW139 and Bell 412 are also used. The MRH-90 fleet which was a major asset for over a dozen years was fully retired in 2023 and are in storage, and the last of the S-70 were retired in 2021. Additional UH-60 and EC135 are being acquired in the 2020s.
The MRH-90 retirement is handled in several ways, prior to retirement additional Chinooks were acquired, and prior to and after additional AW139, Bell 412, UH-60, and EC135 were ordered or leased. The Navy and Air Force have their own aircraft, and the Navy uses SH-60 Sea Hawk and ordered more.
Current
AircraftOriginRoleVersionsYear introducedNo. in service"World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, 15 January 2007.Notes Boeing AH-64E Apache Attack helicopterAH-64E Guardian2025 2 (+ 27 on order)29 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardians were ordered for the Army in 2021 to replace the Tiger ARH. As of September 2025, 2 Apache Guardians have been delivered. The Army is expected to receive all Apache aircraft by 2029. Boeing CH-47 Chinook Transport helicopter CH-47F 14 One CH-47D was destroyed during operations in Afghanistan on 30 May 2011. Two additional CH-47Ds ordered in December 2011 as attrition replacement and to boost heavy lift capability. The last of 7 new CH-47Fs was delivered in September 2015 and the D models subsequently retired. Sikorsky UH-60M Blackhawk Utility helicopter UH-60M Blackhawk2023 10 (+ 30 on order) After reliability issues with the MRH90, in 2021 the ADF announced they would replace the MRH90 fleet with 40 UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters, announced the same year as the previous S-70A-9 Blackhawks were retired from service. The first 3 were delivered in 2023 after the grounding and subsequent retirement of the MRH90 fleet. The US announced an accelerated delivery timeline on the remaining 37 Blackhawks to help Australia replace the MRH90 fleet.
5 AW139 leased to the Army. 2 Bell 412 under lease at Army Aviation Training Center. 15 EC135 are shared with the Navy for training, but also intended for disaster relief in emergency.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles AircraftOriginRoleVersionsYear introducedNo. In serviceNotes AeroVironment Wasp AE SUAS – Reconnaissance and battlefield surveillance Wasp EA2018 undisclosed Wasp entered service in 2014 for test and evaluation. the Wasp AE entered service with the Australian Army in 2018.Black Hornet NanoMicroUAS Squad Level Reconnaissance and surveillancePD-1000 Black Hornet2014undisclosedThe Black Hornet entered service in 2014 for test and evaluation.AAI RQ-7 ShadowTactical UAS Reconnaissance and battlefield surveillanceRQ-7B Shadow 2000 UAV20121818 aircraft. The Shadow 200 entered service in 2012 replacing the ScanEagle. Operated by the 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
Historic & Current Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Aircraft typeOriginVariantRoleYears In serviceNotesA50 AAI Aerosonde Australia Aerosonde Mk 2 Surveillance 2003 Four aircraft. Deployed to the Solomon Islands during Operation Anode in 2003. Operated by the 131st surveillance and Target Acquisition Battery.Boeing Insitu ScanEagle United States Reconnaissance and battlefield surveillance – 2012 Obsolete, No longer operated by the Australian Army. Operated by the 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment, Royal Australian ArtilleryElbit Systems Skylark Israel Skylark I Reconnaissance and battlefield surveillance Obsolete, no longer in service with the Australian Army. Replaced by the Wasp EA.Phantom (unmanned aerial vehicle series) China Phantom 4 Reconnaissance and battlefield surveillance 2017– 350 aircraft
Fixed Wing Aircraft Aircraft typeOriginVariantRoleService periodNotesA11 Auster Mark III United Kingdom Mk IIIMK VAOP.6 Two-seat air observation post aircraft 1944–1959 58 aircraft. Operated by the RAAF in support of the Australian Army.A98 Cessna 180 United States Model 180AModel 180DModel 180E Two to four seat liaison, observation aircraft 1959–1975 19 aircraftA14 Pilatus PC-6B Turbo-Porter Switzerland PC-6B Turbo Porter Eight-seat reconnaissance, light transport aircraft 1968–1992 19 aircraftCessna L-19 Bird Dog United States O-1 Bird Dog One or two-seat liaison, observation aircraft 1967–1968 Three aircraft on loan from the US Army. Operated by the 161st Independent Reconnaissance Flight (Australia)Beechcraft Queen Air United States A65 Queen AirB70 Queen Air 1971–19?? Four aircraft. Operated by the Australian Army Survey corpsA18 GAF Nomad Australia Nomad N22BNomad N24A Two-crew twin-engine utility transport, reconnaissance aircraft, capable of carrying 11 passengers 1975–1995 22 aircraftA32 Beechcraft Super King Air United States King Air B350 Twin-engine utility transport aircraft 1997-2009 24 aircraft. Including leased civilian aircraft. 4 owned aircraft given to the RAAF in 2009.Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante Brazil EMB 100P1 Bandeirante 1995 only Four aircraft were leased from Flight West. Operated by the 173rd Aviation Squadron (Australia)De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Canada DHC-6-320 Twin Otter 1996–2004 Three aircraft were leased from Hawker Pacific 1996. Operated by the 173rd Aviation Squadron (Australia)CASA C-212 Aviocar Spain C-212-400 2007-current Two aircraft leased from Skytraders since 2013 with two 212-200 formerly leased from Military Support Services. Operated by the Australian Defence Force Parachuting School.
Helicopters
Historic and also current for context Aircraft typeOriginVariant RoleService periodNotesA22 Aerospatiale AS.350B Squirrel France AS.350B Squirrel Two-crew light utility, training helicopter 1990–1998 18 helicopters. Operated by the Australian Defence Force Helicopter SchoolA1 Bell 47 Sioux United States Model 47G-2 SiouxModel 47G-2A SiouxModel 47G-3B1 Sioux Three-seat light utility, training helicopter 1960–1977 47 helicopters A17 Bell / CAC CA-32, OH-58A Kiowa United StatesAustralia CAC CA-32, OH-58A KiowaModel 206B-1 Kiowa Light observation, reconnaissance helicopter 1971–2018 64 helicopters. Including eight US built helicopters, which were leased to the Australian Army.A2 Bell UH-1 Iroquois United States UH-1H Iroquois Multi-role utility transport helicopter 1990–2007 25 helicopters. Transferred from the RAAF to the Australian Army in 1990A17 Boeing CH-47 Chinook United States CH-47D ChinookCH-47F Chinook Twin-rotor medium-lift transport helicopter 1995-current 18 helicoptersA25 Sikorsky S-70 Blackhawk United States S-70A-9 Black Hawk Four-crew multi-role battlefield support helicopter, capable of carrying 10 troops 1990-2021 39 helicopters. Transferred from the RAAF to the Australian Army. A38 Eurocopter Tiger Europe Tiger ARH Armed reconnaissance, attack helicopter 2004-2026 22 helicoptersA40 NHIndustries NH90 Europe TTH: Tactical Transport Helicopter Utility transport helicopter 2007-2023 40 helicopters Bell 412 United StatesCanada Bell 412 2007-current Two helicopters. Operated by the Army Aviation Training Centre NHIndustries NH90 Utility helicopter MRH90 – TTH: Tactical Transport Helicopter2007-2023 39 (40 original. 1 destroyed in crash) The MRH-90 Taipan fleet was prematurely retired in September 2023, after a fatal crash of an MRH90 in Northern Queensland Pacific Ocean killing 4 servicemembers. Previously in March 2023 an engine failure lead to an MRH90 ditching in the ocean off Jervis Bay. Currently being dismantled for parts (Circa 2024)
See also List of equipment of the Australian Army List of Australian military equipment of World War II Historical weaponry of the Australian Army List of aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force List of aircraft of the Royal Australian Navy
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