18-Year Sole Source Contract to Support BBJ, CL604, FALCON 7X and KC-30A
Northrop Grumman announced on 2 May that it has been selected by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to continue providing through-life support to the service’s special purpose aircraft (SPA) VIP fleet operated by 34 Squadron in Canberra. This sole source, 18-year rolling wave contract has an initial period of six years for sustainment and maintenance valued at A$84 million (€53 million).
The SPA fleet comprises two Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) aircraft and three Challenger CL604 jets, which are being replaced by three FALCON 7X business jets. The RAAF’s SPA capabilities are set to ramp up mid-year with the delivery of a KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) modified to support long-range government VIP transport needs.
Northrop Grumman will service the SPA fleet by providing logistics, maintenance, engineering and training. The work will be supported by a dedicated programme management office in Melbourne.
“This award is a reflection of our team’s support to the RAAF and the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, especially through our work on the SPA, KC-30A and C-27J programmes [….] As a leader in platform stewardship and global fleet management, we look forward to maintaining our 100% mission-capable rate,” commented Northrop Grumman Australia Chief Executive, Chris Deeble.
