AIR FORCE OFFICERS’ TRAINING SCHOOL –
ON TIME, ON BUDGET

Air Force’s new $60 million dollar training precinct at RAAF East Sale, Victoria, was today officially opened by Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, the Hon. Dr Mike Kelly AM MP. The project has been delivered on time and on budget.

Today’s opening ceremony of the new Officers’ Training School (OTS) was timed to coincide with the first Initial Officer Course graduation at East Sale.

“The success of the new OTS project reflects great collaboration between Air Force, Defence Support Group, and contractors Thiess and Coffey Projects,” said Dr Kelly.

“This investment at RAAF East Sale reinforces the importance of this base. It has also been a major boost for the local economy.”

More than 300 construction workers were employed on the site at the peak of activity; of these, more than 130 were local people. 

OTS moved from Point Cook to the new, world class, facilities at East Sale in January 2008. All Air Force Officers will now receive their initial Officer training at East Sale, before they undertake specialist training.

OTS provides a world class training environment, including state of the art technology. The facility houses 60 instructors and staff and up to 120 Officers under training at any one time.

OTS expects to train approximately 300 Permanent Air Force and Active Reserve Officers in 2008.

A major benefit of relocating OTS to East Sale is continuity of training.

35 per cent of OTS graduates go on to undertake air operations training courses; some of which are conducted at RAAF East Sale, such as Air Combat Officer and Air Traffic Controller.     

Media contacts:

Mark Sjolander (Dr Mike Kelly):   02 6277 4840 or 0407 102 220

Defence Media Liaison:               02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664