Ambulance Victoria extends Babcock HEMS contract
Ambulance Victoria (AV) has awarded a five-year extension to Babcock Australasia for the provision of air ambulance services in the Australian state
Under the arrangement, Babcock will continue to provide helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) on behalf of AV until 31 December 2030.
The operator uses a fleet of five Leonardo AW139s and a backup aircraft to provide the service, and responded to 2,197 incidents last year – an average of 200 cases per month.
The extension will come into effect from the start of 2026, following the end of the original 10-year term, which started in 2016. That term was outlined in a contract awarded to Babcock in 2014.
AV Chief Executive Jane Miller said the renewed partnership would ensure AV continued to provide safe, timely and expert patient care during some of Victoria’s most logistically complex emergencies. “This partnership helps us provide the highest level of care for every patient, no matter where they are located across the state,” she said.
Fellow air ambulance operator LifeFlight Australia placed an order for three more AW139s last month.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca was a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.