Defence and Lockheed Martin Australia have reached an agreement to ensure the efficient delivery of sustainment support for the F-35As as RUAG Australia's Surface Finishing Centre won Lockheed's approval for internal and external fuel tank coatings.
Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds and Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price announced the five-year $91 million agreement which will streamline operational support for Australia’s F-35A aircraft.
The support agreement for the logistics system consolidates existing arrangements provided through the US F-35 Joint Program Office and into one Australian managed contract with Lockheed Martin Australia. It establishes Australia as the first partner with which Lockheed Martin has entered into a direct, long-term commercial agreement for F-35 sustainment.
The F-35A Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) is an off-board information system that provides fault diagnosis, maintenance management, supply support, and mission planning and training management. The contract appoints Lockheed Martin Australia to deliver ALIS support including administration services, mission combat system support and cyber accreditation for Australia’s F-35 program.
“This is a significant milestone towards achieving initial operating capacity for the F-35A,” Minister Reynolds said. “It delivers a more responsive and cost-effective solution for key aspects of Australian F-35A maintenance management, and will create up to 60 jobs in the Canberra, Adelaide, Hunter and Katherine regions.”
“As the original equipment manufacturer and lead sustainment partner globally, we are proud to partner with the Department of Defence to lead sustainment support for the Australian F-35 program,” Interim Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin Australia, Scott Thompson, said.
“Our new contracts with the Department of Defence are an important step in developing 5th Generation sovereign capability, providing opportunity for potentially billions of dollars’ worth of new sustainment contracts for local industry."
Seperately, RUAG Australia’s Wingfield Surface Finishing Centre is now Australia’s second Lockheed Martin approved facility for the application of fuel tank coatings in accordance with specifications for the F-35 JSF program.
The facility’s technology enables a 97.6 per cent reduction in curing time over ambient conditions. RUAG’s new capability for aerospace component finishing operates in conjunction with the large-volume (6.5 m2) processing tanks at Wingfield.
Establishing a second approved facility within Australia for the coating of internal and external fuel tanks was a strategic priority for the JSF program. The RUAG Wingfield Surface Finishing Centre fulfills the requirement for an additional in-country fuel cell processing facility, as well as structural components, even ahead of F-35 full-rate production. It also serves to reduce risk within the F-35 global supply chain.
“We are proud to have achieved this accreditation,” Terry Miles, General Manager, RUAG Australia, said “Our new and enhanced capability supports Australian Defence, and the aerospace industry, with the requisite alternative supply chain solution for surface finishing.”