BAE Systems has established a new aircraft maintenance center in North Queensland to better support the Australian Defence Force’s current and future aviation needs. The facility, built at a cost of $10 million, is the home of BAE Systems’ support program for the Australian Army’s Black Hawk and Chinook helicopter fleets and provides employment for 140 people. It replaces former hangars used by BAE Systems that dated back to World War II and lacked space, amenities, and air-conditioning. The two hangars, which are joined by a central atrium, occupy a total space of approximately 5500 m². Each can accommodate an aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 737 and offer direct access to the taxiway.