Project Sentinel

CUSTOMS CIVIL AERIAL MARITIME SURVEILLANCE

  • Value
    $1 billion
  • Key Partners
    Cobham – National Air Support/Surveillance Australia
    Australian Customs Service
  • Project Overview

    A 12-year project to supply, operate and maintain a fleet of ten fully electronic Bombardier Dash8 surveillance aircraft for Australian Customs' Coastwatch program.

    National Air Support won the Sentinel Project for the years 2008 to 2020 and the full fleet is now operational. Design, modification, testing and acceptance of the aircraft were all performed by Cobham at its Adelaide operations and maintenance facilities. The service includes all support systems and infrastructure including aircrew, training, bases and maintenance.

    The aircraft operate from four bases on the northern coast of Australia. The fleet consists of six Dash8-200 aircraft, and four larger long-range Dash8-300s and is known as the long-range ’aerial eyes’ of Coastwatch. The aircraft provide all-weather, day and night electronic surveillance of Australia’s 15 million square kilometre maritime exclusive economic zone. Flights extend up to 1,800 kilometres offshore and surveillance takes place 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

    National Air Support has supplied and operated fixed-wing aircraft for Coastwatch since 1995 through its subsidiary Surveillance Australia.

    For further information visit National Air Support

  • Project Milestones
    Mar 2006 Cobham and the Australian Customs Service signed the Project Sentinel contract
    July 2007 Cobham delivered the final Dash8 aircraft to Australian Border Protection Command