An F-35A Lightning II aircraft. Credit: US Air Force / Master Sgt Donald R Allen.

TAE Aerospace is set to build a new Turbine Engine Maintenance Facility (TEMF) to support in-country sustainment of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter jets.

To be constructed in Bundamba, south-east Queensland, the TEMF facility will support deeper-level maintenance of the aircraft’s turbine engines, where the F135 engine modules will be disassembled, repaired and reassembled for testing.

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According to Australian Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, the new maintenance site will help strengthen the defence industry of the country in addition to supporting the global F-35 joint strike fighter programme.

“The global F-35 programme has had a positive impact on Australia’s growing defence industry, which has collectively been awarded in excess of $1bn in production contracts.”

Pyne said: “TAE Aerospace’s new facility will support maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade (MRO&U) activities for not only Australian F135 engines but also engines from around the Asia Pacific region and the world.

“TAE Aerospace is 100% Australian-owned with 237 employees at several sites across Australia, with contracts to support Classic Hornet, Super Hornet, Growler and M1 Abram tank engines.

“The addition of the F135 engine MRO&U activities will add a minimum of 15 aerospace technician jobs to its workforce and up to 85 additional jobs as part of the future F-35 Global Support Solution.”

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Currently, the Australian government has granted approval for the acquisition of 72 F-35A joint strike fighters, which would help replace the RAAF’s existing and ageing fleet of 71 F/A-18A/B Classic Hornets.

Pyne added: “The global F-35 programme has had a positive impact on Australia’s growing defence industry, which has collectively been awarded in excess of $1bn in production contracts and will support up to 5,000 Australian jobs by 2023.”

The F-35 Lightning II aircraft is a fifth-generation fighter jet that combines advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility. 

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