Boeing Defence Australia supports Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control fleet

CANBERRA, 30 July 2013. Boeing Defence Australia (BDA), a subsidiary of The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), has prime responsibility for supporting the Royal Australian Air Force E-7A WedgetailAirborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) fleet from Boeing in the U.S.

Through a contract modification signed by the company and the Commonwealth of Australia, BDA will now execute the E-7A Wedgetail In-Service Support Performance-Based Logistics contract, with other Boeing organizations acting as subcontractor. The move ensures a continued high level of readiness for the nation’s command and control aircraft fleet, says a company spokesperson.

“This change effectively combines Boeing’s knowledge as the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) with a talented Australian team dedicated to providing the Royal Australian Air Force with low-risk, cost-efficient support for the E-7A Wedgetail,” explains Shelley Lavender, vice president and general manager of Boeing Integrated Logistics.

The E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C, based on the Boeing Next-Generation 737-700 commercial airplane, provides airborne battle management capability with an advanced multirole electronically scanned radar and the ability to track airborne and maritime targets simultaneously. The crew can direct offensive and defensive forces while maintaining continuous surveillance of the operational area.

“This is a significant step in the maturing of local industry to support this important strategic capability,” says Air Vice-Marshal Colin Thorne, Head Aerospace Systems Division in the Defence Materiel Organisation.

The Australian government declared Initial Operating Capability of its six E-7A Wedgetail aircraft in 2012. It is now focused on activities to support declaration of Final Operational Capability.

Follow Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter (@Avionics_Intel), LinkedIn, and Google+.