New Zealand boosts defence spend to US$6.6 billion and vows increased closeness with Australia
This budget will be spent over the next four years and nearly doubles the country’s defence spending as part of GDP to 2%.
Australia onshores Super Hornet and Growler maintenance elements
Australia is moving MRO functions onshore for its F/A-18F Super Hornets. (Photo: BDA)
New MRO contract between Boeing Defence Australia and RUAG Australia replaces work previously done in the US.
Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) has signed a new military aircraft support contract with RUAG Australia, as part of broader efforts to build up sovereign MRO capabilities in the country.
The deal under the Air Combat Electronic Attack Sustainment (ACEAS) programme will see RUAG perform ‘enhanced intermediate-level repairs on an initial three components for F/A-18Fand EA-18G Growler aircraft, with the potential to increase that number’, BDA noted in a 27 July announcement.
The three components are the main and nose wheel hubs plus a component from the environmental control system.
Currently, they are being repaired in the US under the FMS programme — so moving the work to Australia will help in ‘building resilience’ into the RAAF Super Hornet and Growler supply chains, said Chris Gray, BDA programme manager for ACEAS.
BDA provides sustainment and support services for other Australian aircraft such as the C-17A Globemaster, P-8A Poseidon, E-7A Wedgetail, CH-47F Chinook, EC-135 training helicopter and the soon-to-be-introduced AH-64E Apache Guardian.
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