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Exclusive: Ukraine registered its interest in Australia's fleet of retired Taipan helicopters before Defence embarked on its controversial "disposal strategy" that will eventually see them buried in landfill.
Liberal Senator David Fawcett told 9News he relayed Kiev's interest in the Taipan MRH-90 aircraft to the Australian government in early October while he was attending a NATO parliamentary assembly in Copenhagen.
"The topic of the Taipan helicopters came up and (the Ukrainian delegation) expressed a great interest in those for that aeromedical role," he said.
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Fawcett, a former test pilot, has urged the Albanese government to urgently rethink its decision to destroy the Army's fleet of 45 Taipans, saying there were up to 20 of the helicopters that could be feasibly returned to flying.
9News has been separately told that at least a dozen Taipans remain intact – some of them are being housed in a military hangar at Townsville Air Base.
Defence insists it is "not feasible" to return the aircraft to the skies, given "the costs, time and technical resources needed to return aircraft to a fully operational state would be significant".
But former Chief of the Army Peter Leahy has cast doubt on this reasoning.
"It's a really strange decision, which a lot of people are struggling to understand. It defies logic in a whole range of areas," Leay said.
"I think we should have recognised that Ukraine needs these things.
"We've said we don't want them and also recognise they're a good helicopter for the sort of utility role that Ukraine needs them for."
Fawcett said Defence had time to reconsider.
"I don't believe, on the basis of what I've been told, that it is too late," he said.
"In our normal maintenance, we remove many parts from aircraft … so they can be put back, whether it's by us or by a European workforce.
"So the aircraft, many of them, are still technically airworthy, even though right now, they're not flyable."
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The government has cited the helicopter's safety record as one of the reasons for denying Kiev's request.
The Australian Defence Force retired its fleet of Taipans in September, two months after one of the European-designed choppers crashed in Queensland, killing four military personnel.
In September last year, the helicopter's manufacturer NHIndustries told operators of the MRH90 that early analysis had shown no information relating to a "failure, malfunction, defect or other occurrences linked to the (MRH90) type design that may result in an unsafe condition for the operating fleet".
Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko said his country was very grateful for the support Australia had already given but wanted to use the Taipans to evacuate injured troops from the frontline, notwithstanding the ADF's concerns about the aircraft's safety.
"When we have this massive Russian Army out there, hammering Ukraine, the total risk profile and the understanding of risk is different," Myroshnychenko said.
"It's a missed opportunity as of now, and I was briefed by the Defence department on the Taipans.
"They've been dismantled.
"They will not be provided to Ukraine and we continue talking to the department.
"We hope that some other support could be unblocked for Ukraine."
Defence has repeatedly refused to reveal how many Taipans remain intact.
It said Ukraine made its official request for donation of the MRH-90 Taipans by letter, received by Defence on December 17, "after the disassembly of the MRH-90 aircraft had commenced".
"Australia is committed to supporting Ukraine's defence of its sovereignty and territory in the face of Russia's illegal and immoral invasion," Defence said in a statement.
"Australia has committed approximately $730 million in military support, including 120 Bushmaster protected military vehicles, 56 M113AS4 armoured vehicles, six M777 Howitzers and ammunition, additional vehicles, trailers and uncrewed aerial systems. Australia remains one of the largest non-NATO contributors of military assistance to Ukraine."
