Toll Group, an Australian global logistics services provider, has been awarded a major government contract to provide comprehensive state police, ambulance and air rescue services to South Australia. The contract will significantly improve the state's emergency response and law enforcement capabilities, while enhancing public safety and healthcare accessibility for all South Australians.

Awarded by the Attorney General's Department of South Australia, the landmark 15-year contract will see Toll provide a fleet of eight aircraft, comprising both fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, specifically deployed to provide vital services, including law enforcement, search and rescue, and medical transport, ensuring rapid and efficient response across the state.

Colin Gunn, general manager of Toll Aviation shares: “We are extremely honoured to provide critical aviation services that strengthen the state's emergency response and law enforcement teams and ensure the highest standards quality and safety of the services that South Australians need and deserve.”

Under the contract, Toll will partner with a range of expert subcontractors, including the South Australia and Northern Territory divisions of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and indigenous aerospace consultancy Gunggandji Aerospace through the Indigenous Defence & Infrastructure Consortium (iDiC), to provide airborne law enforcement, SAR and medical transport services.

“Drawing on over 20 years of experience within the aviation space, combined with the expertise and capability of our subcontractors, we are confident that these partnerships will deliver unparalleled service to ensure timely and effective support when it matters most,” states Alan Beacham, managing director of Toll Group.

The contract includes key milestones, with the initial operational capability for fixed-wing services scheduled for November 2026 and the full operational capability for rotary-wing services set for October 2027.

The South Australia Police fleet will comprise two Bell 429 helicopters for airborne law enforcement, featuring a high speed up to 155 knots (287 km/h) and a 593 km range for rapid deployment, along with advanced surveillance and mission-ready configurations; and two fixed-wing aircraft for policing, search and rescue operations comprising a Pilatus PC-12, a high-performance, pressurised aircraft with exceptional range and payload capacity, and a Cessna Grand Caravan EX C208EX, a versatile aircraft for search and rescue, capable of landing on sealed and unsealed surfaces.

The South Australia Ambulance Service MedSTAR fleet will comprise three Leonardo AW139 helicopters, offering speeds up to 167 knots (309 km/h) and a range of 698 km for faster patient response, along with a custom-built Helimods medical transport cabin for intensive care, neonatal and paediatric emergencies; and one PC-12, provided by Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Australia and Northen Territory), featuring a RFDS intensive care interior, rear patient-loading door and built-in stretcher loading system.

In addition to the fleet, Toll Group is in partnership with RFDS will deliver specialised training for South Australia Ambulance Service, South Australia Police Service and Gunggandji teams to ensure the highest level of operational readiness. This will include high-fidelity flight simulators for pilots and crew, cabin trainers and extended reality crew procedural trainers to prepare crews for emergency scenarios, and advanced mission systems for surveillance, search and rescue, and medical transport.

Toll's commitment to innovation, safety, and operational excellence will be the cornerstone of the contract's success, providing South Australia with a modern, reliable aviation service for years to come.