The Australian Government has announced plans to invest close to A$264m ($182.3m) to provide sustainment services for the country's fleet of F/A-18 F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers.
The government has signed a five-year contract with Boeing Defence Australia to ensure continuous aviation sustainment services support for 24 F/A-18Fs and 12 EA-18Gs. This contract is expected to create around 180 jobs.
Raytheon Australia, Northrop Grumman Australia, Air Speed, Pacific Aerospace and Boeing will serve as subcontractors to provide the services, the Australian Department of Defence said in a statement.
The services covered under the contract include engineering, supply chain management, and maintenance services, IHS Jane's reported.
Built by Boeing, the F/A-18 Super Hornet is a twin-engine, supersonic, all weather multirole fighter jet that can land and take off from an aircraft carrier.
The fighter jet receives a wide range of upgrades from Boeing such as conformal fuel tanks, an enclosed weapons pod, an enhanced engine and a reduced radar signature.
The EA-18G Growler is a variant of F/A-18F Super Hornet and it is said to provide tactical jamming and electronic protection to military forces around the world.
The 18.3m-long Growler can accommodate a crew of one pilot, one weapon systems officer.
The first Growler for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was launched in July last year. Australia is the first nation outside the US to fly the airborne electronic attack platform.
Image: A RAAF F/A-18 F Super Hornet. Photo: courtesy of Bidgee.
