The Australian government has awarded Boeing Defence Australia a $401.6 million contract for sustainment and modernization support of the country’s F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft.
The modification extends the two parties’ original agreement by another five years, guaranteeing support for the Royal Australian Air Force’s military aircraft through 2030.
The extension is the second for the Air Combat and Electronic Attack Sustainment Contract that the country signed with Boeing in July 2016, bringing the deal’s total value to $802.5 million.
“This contract extension fortifies our preparedness for any potential challenges,” Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said.
According to Canberra, the contract will secure 350 jobs in Queensland and ensure that the highly skilled workforce at RAAF Base Amberley will keep their job.
The government added that over 90 percent of the contract’s value will be used in Australia while local experts assigned to the project will oversee the engineering, maintenance and project management for sustaining and upgrading the fleets.
Conroy said the latest government investment will strengthen the country’s defense sector, serving an important role in protecting Australians and contributing to regional stability.
No specific details on the specific upgrades for RAAF’s fleets of 24 F/A-18Fs and 12 EA-18Gs were revealed. Months earlier, Boeing hinted it had been in talks with the Australian government about bringing the Super Hornets to the Block III standard and the Growlers to the Block II configuration.
