Boeing has awarded Ferra Engineering a contract to produce wing kits for its High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC). The contract has extended the existing partnership between Boeing and Ferra and established a local production line for the advanced system.
“Local HAAWC production with Ferra means more skilled jobs in Australia and deeper sovereign manufacturing capability,” Boeing Precision Engagement Systems, Vice President, Bob Ciesla, said.
“This partnership serves as a practical investment in national defence and regional security aligned to Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise sovereign objectives.”
The HAAWC has been designed to be deployed from Boeing’s P-8A multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft. This all-weather, air-launched torpedo kit will allow operators to engage submarines from high altitudes.
“We are honored to continue our 17-year-long partnership with Boeing on the HAAWC program,” CEO of Ferra Engineering, Aaron Thompson, said.
“This contract not only reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality, Australian-made defence solutions but also highlights the importance of collaboration in advancing our nation’s defense capabilities. Together, we are paving the way for innovation and excellence in aerospace manufacturing.”
Ferra has supplied precision components to various Boeing programs — including the Australian manufactured MQ-28 Ghost Bat as well as exporting components to the US for the F/A-18F Super Hornet, AH-64E Apache and P-8A Poseidon — developed as part of the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) Global Supply Chain Program.
In 2023, the companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to produce wing kits for Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended Range (JDAM ER) and Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM LR).