Australia could give priority to domestic firms already working on Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme while competing industrial opportunities linked to its air force acquisitions of 24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet Block II fighters and four Boeing C-17 strategic transports.

The Australian Defence Materiel Organisation and Boeing are negotiating global supply chain opportunities for Australian industry on all current-production civil and military programmes supported by the US manufacturer. The proposed work packages are being investigated in place of direct industrial participation during Canberra's off-the-shelf Super Hornet purchase.

 Super Hornet
© US Navy

"Boeing has been in discussions with [the Department of] Defence, and they are setting in place a mechanism to try and have commercial opportunities for Australian industry," says DMO Super Hornet industrial programme director Ken Thomson, who adds: "It is up to industry to win them in competition."

C-17 
© Australian DoD

Speaking at the DoD's annual Defence and Industry conference in Adelaide on 23 August, Thomson said Australian companies who have already "won JSF work are more likely to get the initial work".

Australian Super Hornet programme director Gp Capt David Langlois says the DMO will use foreign military sales extensions to existing US Navy logistics arrangements to provide in-service support once the new fighters enter use, rather than establish major local infrastructure beyond the operational support and training levels.

Meanwhile, Australia has completed the first full centre-barrel replacement on an F/A-18A/B as part of life extension work expected to stretch operations of the type until at least 2018. The prototype conversion was carried out by L-3 Communications MAS in Canada, where a further eight Hornets will be modified before a full rate production line for a further 39 will start operation in Australia.

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Source: Flight International

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