RAAF Extends F-18C Hornet MRO Contract

January 31, 2012 defense-aerospace.com
(Source: BAE Systems Australia; issued January 30, 2012)

Contract Extension Win on Classic Hornet Maintenance and Modification

WILLIAMTOWN, Australia --- BAE Systems and L-3 MAS Canada have won an extension to their F/A-18 Classic Hornet Maintenance and Modification Support contract.

The companies have agreed with the Australian Defence Force on a 10-month contract extension, from December 2012 to October 2013. Under the agreement, an additional 14 F/A-18 Classic Hornet aircraft will undergo structural refurbishment modifications and deeper maintenance to support capability requirements.

The overall contract value has increased by $50 million to $130 million. The contract will support 60 extra jobs and involve a total of over 200 highly skilled aerospace technicians and support personnel at Williamtown, NSW.

BAE Systems Director Aerospace John Monaghan said: “This contract change is the culmination of many months of hard work to deliver an optimised Classic Hornet Deeper Maintenance and Modification Support program.

“Most importantly, the contract incorporates additional work while delivering program efficiencies and real savings aligned with Defence’s Strategic Reform Program. The additional work also secures jobs for our technicians and support staff at our Williamtown facility until October 2013.”

L-3 MAS President Sylvain Bédard said: “We see ourselves providing the heavy lifting on the RAAF’s Classic F/A-18 Hornet program. This contract extension demonstrates the Commonwealth’s confidence in our team to deliver Hornet support into the foreseeable future.

“It also further extends the long-standing business relationship we have enjoyed with the DMO dating back to the early 1990s, when our company was first involved in conducting a large part of the International Follow-On Structural Tests.”

BAE Systems has provided Hornet deeper maintenance services to the RAAF since 2003. The company partnered with L-3MAS in consortium in April 2009 to deliver the highly successful Hornet Structural Refurbishment Program modification to extend the RAAF’s Classic Hornet fleet.

BAE Systems and L-3 MAS are proven providers of Hornet deeper maintenance services and focus on delivering real capability outcomes to the Classic Hornet fleet.