By
Michael Brooke
Volume 48, No. 5, April 6, 2006
 |
|
Changes
to Amberley will include upgrades to the main runway, construction
of an MRTT hangar and hardstand as a well as a base upgrade.
|
|
Photo
by LAC Mike Lucas
|
RAAF
Base Amberley continues its steady march to “superbase”
status, with new works and personnel on the way.
In early March, Stage Two of the base redevelopment project commenced
when the first earth was turned for the upgrading of the base
mains water supply.
This includes the diversion of one water main supplying the base
and the boring of two parallel tunnels 525mm wide and 100m long
under a taxiway.
The work must be completed before construction of the new large
A330 hangar and its associated parking aprons is commenced.
The redevelopment is currently split into several distinct projects.
They are: the refurbishment of the main runway; construction of
the Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) hangar and hardstand to
accommodate A330 aircraft, annexes and services; a Logistics Management
Unit and simulator buildings; and the base infrastructure upgrade.
Base commander WGCDR John Martin said that as part of the runway
refurbishment, some 21,000 cubic meters of concrete and asphalt
will be removed and replaced with new material.
“This means that the entire threshold of runway 33 will be
dug up and other sections of the runway will undergo replacement,
culminating in the entire runway being resurfaced with new asphalt,”
he said.
“A new aircraft arrester system will be installed on the
southern end of the runway. Upon completion of the runway, the
parallel taxiway will be widened in the vicinity of the A330’s
parking areas.”
To accommodate the additional facilities, water, power and sewerage
reticulation will be upgraded and a number of large water drainage
channels will be built to remove storm water. New roads will be
built for easier access to these new areas.
“There has been a great deal of coordination required between
Air Force, CSIG and the contractors to ensure that the planned
works occur on time, safely and with minimal disruption,”
WGCDR Martin said.
“New accommodation for single members is being built on the
base in the area previously occupied by base married quarters.
However, most personnel will live in civilian accommodation within
the local community,” he said.
Stage 2 is scheduled for completion by the end of 2007, and includes
construction of Army’s Nine Force Support Battalion’s
facility.
“These are exciting redevelopments for the base and will
come with everything one would expect from an ‘Extreme Makeover’,”
WGCDR Martin said.
