The first shipment of five Mk5 and Mk6 Austral Trident fire trucks left Australia for Papua New Guinea on Friday 4 February 2011, as part of a program to improve aviation safety in the Asia-Pacific region. AusAID's Pacific Public Sector Linkages Program has funded the transportation of 11 aviation rescue and fire fighting vehicles and the supply and fit-out with standard fire fighting equipment.
Airservices Australia, together with the Department of Infrastructure and Transport and AusAID, is aiming to build capacity in aviation rescue fire fighting in PNG. The Department of Infrastructure and Transport is administering and implementing the project.
AusAID has also provided funding to Airservices Australia for the supplementary training of PNG National Airports Corporation staff to enable them to operate and maintain the fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
A further six vehicles will be delivered to PNG over the coming weeks.
The vehicles are destined for regional airports in PNG: Nadzab, Wewak, Mt Hagen, Tokua, Gurney and Madang.