The Australian Army will shortly end flying operations of its ARH Tiger attack helicopters in Darwin, closing nearly two decades of service and shifting its attack aviation focus to the AH-64E Apache. The 1st Aviation Regiment is due to mark the transition with farewell activities in Darwin as part of its move to Townsville.
Defence has framed the retirement as part of a planned 20-year service life for the Tiger and a wider capability reset to meet a more contested threat environment. The Apache is replacing the Tiger within the 1st Aviation Regiment, with six aircraft already delivered and the full fleet of 29 expected by the end of 2029.
The switch has been under way for several years and was accelerated from an earlier retirement window. Army Apache crews conducted their first live-fire activities in Townsville in July 2026, underlining the growing operational role of the new fleet as the regiment continues its relocation from Darwin to North Queensland.