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RUAG Australia has received Authority To Proceed (ATP) from the United States government’s F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), with the company establishing an exclusive regional F-35 wheels and brakes sustainment solution.
According to the company, RUAG Australia has been confirmed as the first Australian company to be granted the US government’s Joint Program Office (JPO) Authority To Proceed (ATP), with the F-35 wheels and brake sustainment approval exclusively awarded to RUAG Australia for the Asia-Pacific region.
The announcement comes as the company successfully wrapped up Phases 1 and 2 of the F-35 JPO Depot Maintenance Development Plan, becoming an accredited Depot Source of Repair (DSOR) for the F-35.
This is expected to enable RUAG Australia to shift staff from older operations to the F-35’s Global Support Systems (GSS).
“We have seized the opportunity to deliver reliable wheels and brakes solutions for the F-35 Program, by leveraging our expertise and longstanding success of providing MRO sustainment for complex aircraft components, and the fifth generation of military aircraft sustainment,” Terry Miles, general manager of RUAG Australia said.
The move was welcomed by the Department of Defence, who congratulated RUAG Australia on achieving the US government’s support for F-35 sustainment.
“RUAG Australia is the first Australian industry Component Assigned Product Service Provider (A-PSP) to complete the F-35 JPO Depot Maintenance Development Plan (DMDP) process through Phases1 and 2, and I congratulate you and your team in achieving this important milestone,” Kirrilee McNeill, director, Industry Aerospace Combat Systems Branch, Aerospace Systems Division at the Australian Department of Defence said.
RUAG’s international partners also welcomed the announcement, explaining that the confirmation will support the development of RUAG Australia’s sovereign defence manufacturing capability.
“The Australian team has embraced continuous improvement and capability development at a local level to improve global competitiveness. Longstanding relationships with customers and business affiliates will strengthen RUAG Australia’s sovereign capability in the APAC region,” says Felix Amman, executive vice-president, RUAG MRO International, said.
Article courtesy of Defence Connect.
