Defence has signed a four-year contract with Boeing Defence Australia covering sustainment and support of the RAAF’s forthcoming Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft fleet.
“Importantly Australian defence industry involvement in the sustainment of this aircraft will provide regional support for the global P-8A fleet and has the potential to improve opportunities for Australian defence industry participation in future support activities,” Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said in a statement on Monday announcing the contract.
“This will showcase Australian defence industry capabilities to the world to ensure they have every opportunity to get involved in the longer term global P-8A support program.”
The Minister’s statement said the four-year deal would support “35 jobs in South Australia”.
Fifteen P-8As are set to replace the RAAF’s AP-3C Orion fleet, together with the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system. They will be based at RAAF Base Edinburgh, north of Adelaide.
The first RAAF P-8A was formally revealed in a ceremony at Boeing Field, Seattle late last month. It is due to arrive in Australia mid next month.
Fabian
says:15 p-8 plus 7 tritons = domination over airspace
Mick181
says:+6 E-7A,,9 KC-30,3-5 E-550s = complete and total air domination over any country except those that can overwhelm us with sheer numbers.
random
says:Good looking birds….
Jason
says:P-8s and Tritons have nothing to do with “air domination”, more like maritime domination
John Hamilton
says:As both the P8s and the Tritons share a common Systems Project Office what the chances of a common software support package?
Jason
says:Zero considering they’re from different manufacturers, one is manned and the other unmanned, and they’ll enter service 5+ years apart. The only sharing will occur when their respective sensor feeds are piped through to decision makers…
C-17 and KC-30 share a SPO, but have no support or operating system commonality whatsoever apart from LAIRCM and some comms.
Harry
says:Random, I agree but I like the one in the foreground better, she’s got a prettier tail!