Under the contract, announced on 29 January and subject to Australian government export approval, EOS will supply its Slinger counter-drone system for integration on lightweight 4x4 platforms produced by Diehl Defence.

Starting 1 October, Emirates’ second daily flight to Brisbane will be upgraded from a 777-300ER to an A380, while Perth will see an additional daily 777-300ER flight starting 1 December. Between them, the two flights are expected to add 6,900 seats between Australia and Dubai per week.

The US aviation regulator’s announcement comes after it grounded all MAX 9s earlier this month following an incident that saw a door blow off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in mid-air.

In an official submission to the International Air Services Commission, the consumer watchdog has argued that Virgin’s application would bolster competition on routes from Australia to Bali and give passengers more choice for airfares and service offerings.