The past few weeks have seen Boeing’s efforts pay off as the organisation has secured contracts with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Australian Army while the United Kingdom appears to be close to selecting the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail. On October 4 Boeing Defence Australia announced a new partnership agreement between them and the Australian Department of Defence’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group. The contract will streamline the current support services for the Australian Army’s CH-47F Chinook fleet into a new “through life support contract to be conducted in-country”. This will bring Australia’s Chinook fleet in line with the rest of their allies who operate the heavy-lift helicopter and contribute to the nation’s defence industry which employs approximately 25,000 people and supports 3,000 businesses. The work is slated to commence in Oakey and Townsville, QLD.
An Australian Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter from the 5th Aviation Regiment in Townsville carries a 155mm M198 Howitzer to support an amphibious landing on July 13 during Talisman Saber 2017.
Boeing Defence Australia also announced a week prior that a new agreement had been signed for the upgrades and sustainment of the RAAF 6 E-7A Wedgetail aircraft, ensuring it too remains at the forefront of air battlespace management capability and remains in service until 2035. The program was valued at over AUD $1.5 billion. The aircraft was a response to the Australian government’s desire for an airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEWC) under the name Project Wedgetail. The program’s success has seen orders from both Turkey and the Republic of Korea. This has once again contributed to the defence industry in Australia, in particular to the approximately 600 Australia and 200 local suppliers involved in the Wedgetail program.
In testimony to the Wedgetail’s advanced technology and capabilities the United Kingdom has considered it as a replacement for the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) 7 ageing E-3D Sentry aircraft. Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne confirmed the UK was in discussion with Boeing and the RAAF about the possibility of acquiring the aircraft, 6 of which are in service with Williamtown-based 2 Squadron. “Widely recognised as the most advanced aircraft of its type in the Western world, the Wedgetail provides state-of-the-art airborne surveillance, communications and battle management systems,” Pyne said. The Wedgetail has demonstrated its operational capability in the Middle East since October 2014 as part of the multinational coalition against the Islamic State (IS) with a mission success rate of 98%. The UK’s 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review signalled the RAF’s Sentries would remain in service until 2035. Increasing operational and maintenance costs may force major operators such as the USAF, RAF, French Air Force and Royal Saudi Air Force to consider swapping over to the Wedgetail in the near future.
A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail on approach.