$70 Million for Five-Year Period Plus Options

Boeing Defence Australia, in Brisbane, has been awarded the Sustainment Services Contract for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) fleet of eight C-17A GLOBEMASTER III heavy air lifters.

The $70 million contract includes management of services and provision of integration, enginnering and maintenance across the fleet for an initial five-year period, with options out to the end of the aircraft’s anticipated service life. It is scheduled to commence in October this year.

Announcing the contract. Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne indicated the contract is a key initiative for the RAAF Heavy Air Lift capability. “The arrangements to maintain the C-17A aircraft have been in place since 2006 when the first C-17A was delivered to Australia, however, as the size of the fleet has since doubled – to eight – this new arrangement will create new jobs in Queensland,” he explained.

“Boeing Defence Australia has a proven model for optimal in-service support, operating under a single-management framework that sees Boeing and Commonwealth employees working in close collaboration to manage all current and future fleet requirements,” Darren Edwards, Vice President and General Manager for Boeing Defence Australia, added.