The suspension was put in place following the precautionary landing of a helicopter at the Shoalwater Bay training area on 25 June after the aircraft’s two-man crew detected fumes in the cockpit.

The aircraft landed safely with no injuries to the crew or further damage to the aircraft. Defence is presently investigating the cause of the fumes.

There are 22 ARH in the Australian Army’s Oakey and Darwin based fleet, 19 of which are in the fully capable configuration operating in the fleet. The remaining three aircraft are completing a retrofit program and should return to the fleet later in the year. The Australian Army’s Tiger fleet is not yet in full operational service.