BAE, L-3 Win Contract Extension for Australian Hornet Modifications

06 Februari 2012

A Hawk-127, PC-9 and F/A-18 Hornet fly in formation over Port Stephens near RAAF Base Williamtown during preparations for the fly-past during the Handover/Takeover Parade for the Commander Air Combat Group (photo : Aus DoD)

BAE Systems and L-3 MAS Canada have won a contract extension for 14 additional Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing F/A-18 Hornet fighters.

The Australian Defence Force awarded the 10-month extension, which covers structural refurbishment modification and "deeper maintenance to support capability requirements", said BAE in a statement. The deal raises the overall contract value to Australian dollars (A$) 130 million ($139 million) from A$80 million, it added.

"This contract change is the culmination of many months of hard work to deliver an optimised Classic Hornet deeper maintenance and modification support programme," said BAE Systems Australia's director of aerospace, John Monaghan.

BAE has provided the RAAF with deeper maintenance services for its A/B-model Hornets since 2003.

(FlightGlobal)