Amberly based engine maintenance and engineering company TAE will maintain the Pratt & Whitney F135 jet engines for Australia’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, in a deal announced by Defence Minister Kevin Andrews.
TAE will add F135 capability at its Amberly site, which was originally contracted for maintenance on the F-111 in 2000 and today handles F404 and F414 engines for the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet.
Operating from four sites in Australia, TAE employs 200 people and provides gas-turbine engine and component MRO services for military forces, regional airlines, charter operators and agricultural aircraft.
“Adding the F135 engine capability will really complement our MRO service offerings and position us as the leader in this sector in the Asia-Pacific region” said TAE General Manager Andrew Sanderson.
The first two of Australia’s F-35s are in service at the pilot training centre at Luke Air Force Base in the United States and are scheduled to arrive in Australia in 2018.
The announcement came in the same week BAE Systems was named F-35 Southern Pacific Regional Depot Airframe Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade provider from early 2018.
BAE Systems will provide a heavy airframe maintenance and sustainment capability from its base at Williamtown, NSW, where it already supports the total sustainment of the Hawk MK 127 Lead-In Fighter fleet.
“This announcement comes on top of the US$433 million that Australian companies have won in production and development contracts to date,” said Defence Minister Kevin Andrews.
“With the F-35 global support system now being stood up and with our first aircraft due to arrive in Australia in 2018, the next few years will see more opportunities for Australian industry to support not only Australia’s F-35s but those in our region and around the globe.”
Australia and Japan are the only two Pacific Rim nations to order the F-35 so far. Japan has been named as a maintenance provider and will maintain its own aircraft, but Singapore is also a potential customer.