Sting in the tail: why Australia’s Taipan helicopter purchase was a debacle from the start

Labor government confirms it will buy Black Hawks from the US at a likely cost of about $3bn

Finally, it’s official. Australia’s long-expected dumping of its European-backed Taipan helicopters in favour of US Black Hawks closes an inglorious chapter in the country’s defence acquisition history.

Over the past few years, there has been no shortage of negative headlines about the MRH90 Taipan, which has been used by both the army and the navy.