The announcement was made by APC President Greg Hartung and comes as the countdown to the London 2012 Paralympics enters the final 500 days.

"Australia has such a proud record at the Paralympic Games and it is a great privilege to lead an Australian Paralympic team, particularly for a Games in London," said Hellwig, who will be in charge of the largest Australian team ever sent to a Paralympic Games overseas.

Around 170 athletes and 130 officials across 15 sports are expected to make the trip to England.

"It's going to be very exciting and a challenge I'm really looking forward to," said Hellwig.

Australia has finished in the top five at every Paralympics since Atlanta in 1996, including top of the medal tally at the Sydney 2000 Games, but, with more and more countries placing a greater focus on Paralympic sport, their status as one of the top five nations looks under threat.

"It's going to be difficult," Hellwig said.

"A very small number of medals will be the difference between us finishing fourth or fifth, which I think we're capable of, or falling outside the top ten.

"If we lose four or five medals, we could be as low as positions 12 or 13.

But Hellwig claimed he was confident of the Australian team's ability to deliver on the world's biggest stage with their best medal prospects coming in athletics, cycling, swimming, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby.

"Our national federations, the coaches and the sports are doing a terrific job and the athletes are all doing the training and the work that's required of them," Hellwig said.

"Every sport we are taking has medal prospects in London.

"It's a new generation.

"We have so many young kids coming through.

"Our Toyota Paralympic Talent Search Programme has been really effective in bringing a whole new population of young athletes into the Paralympic high performance environment.

"I really think Australia can look forward to some new national heroes emerging from this team."

Hellwig was the Australian team's general manager at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 after serving as the athletics team section manager at Sydney 2000.

Hartung said Hellwig's leadership qualities and knowledge of Paralympic sport made him the ideal candidate to fulfil the prestigious role of Chef de Mission.

"Jason is an outstanding sports administrator and knows what it takes to succeed in Paralympic sport at the highest level," said Hartung, who is also the vice-president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

"We know the London Paralympic Games will be most competitive in history and Australia faces a great challenge to maintain its position among the world's top five but we have every confidence in the ability of Jason and his team executive to provide a platform on which every Australian team member can perform at their peak."

The London 2012 Paralympic Games will take place from August 29 to September 9 next year with the Australian Paralympic team set to hold their preparation camp for the Games in Cardiff.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]