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%.
Australian F135 engine maintenance and upgrade depot reaches full capability
The TAE Aerospace F135 Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul & Upgrade (MRO&U) depot in Australia is the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region. (Photo: TAE Aerospace)
The TAE Aerospace-run F135 MRO and upgrade facility in Australia is the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region.
TAE Aerospace revealed on 15 July that it has achieved full initial depot capability (IDC) status to repair all modules of the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine that powers all variants (the F-35A, F-35B and F-35C) of the Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.
As a result, the TAE Aerospace F135 Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul & Upgrade (MRO&U) depot in Australia is the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region.
Asia-Pacific F-35 operators include the RAAF, the Republic of Korea Air Force, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and US forces in the region.
Achieving full IDC status involved three phases following the construction of the MRO&U facility itself. TAE obtained IDC for the fan module of the F135 in 2020 and then the power modules in 2021.
‘The final element for meeting all IDC requirements was the qualification of the upgraded F135 Engine Test Cell facility located at Queensland’s Amberley Air Force Base, which occurred earlier this year,’ TAE stated.
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