Taipan helicopters likely to have been cheaper if shipped to Ukraine over dismantling

Asia Pacific Defence Reporter Kym Bergmann says “for all we know” Taipan helicopters would have been cheaper to ship to Ukraine rather than dismantle and bury. “The situation with the Taipan’s always been a little bit complex,” Mr Bergmann told Sky News host Andrew Bolt. “Even though they’re quite safe helicopters they have picked up a reputation in Australia for unreliability. “Also, they are very expensive to maintain. “Even the cost of pulling them apart … for all we know it would have been cheaper to ship them to Ukraine in the first place.”