It has been a privilege for RUAG Australia to provide MRO support for legendary aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during its 100 years of service to Australia. RUAG Australia is a supplier and life cycle support provider of systems and components on behalf of the Royal Australian Air Force and other international air forces, as well as civil aviation, worldwide. The company combines engineering expertise with landing gear hydraulic actuator manufacture, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), and metal treatment and finishing in their role as a DASR Part 145, DASR Part 21J, EASA Part 145, CASA Part 145, NADCAP, and AS9100D approved organization. RUAG Australia ranks as a Top 20 SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) on behalf of the Australian Defence Force, features as a supplier in the Australian Defence Export Office’s Australian Military Sales Catalogue and has been inducted into the 2019 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame.
RUAG Australia employs more than 35 skilled MRO technicians across 3 facilities in Australia (Bayswater VIC, Airport West VIC, Amberley QLD), all with a base qualification of Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) and with further specialisations in airframe, airflow, and assembly and testing. To support MRO activities RUAG complements its disassembly and assembly capabilities with a broad and comprehensive suite of test equipment. A team of highly qualified engineers supports and guides skilled technicians to deliver on customer repair requirements. The company’s MRO capabilities are focused on – but not exclusive to – aircraft and helicopter mechanical systems and components including hydraulic components, pneumatic systems, undercarriage assemblies (e.g. wheels and brakes), mechanical components such as gearboxes, electrical generators and engine controls and accessories.
For over 35 years, RUAG Australia has provided specialist MRO support for a range of military aircraft for the RAAF. Specialist engineers and technicians have been an integral part in supporting platforms such as the F/A-18, AP-3C Orion, Hercules C130H, E-7A Wedgetail, C27J, F-111 and most recently, the F-35s. The team’s contribution goes beyond standard aircraft maintenance and repair methods. Drawing on their full suite of resources, competence in developing tailored engineering solutions, precision manufacturing and additive technologies has enabled the team to resolve issues that would otherwise have reduced fleet availability or resulted in complete part replacement.
RUAG has a long and rich history providing MRO support for the RAAF including the acclaimed F-111. From 1986, RUAG provided MRO support for landing gear, wheels and brakes, flight and Environmental Control Systems (ECS) for the aircraft until its retirement in 2010. The team reverse engineered all of the Primary Flight Control Components on the F-111 and improved the life cycle of those components. Working on the F-111 provided opportunity to venture into hydraulic flight-control servo-valve reclamation work which enabled the team to carry out similar repair work on other aircraft. This milestone established RUAG as a leading innovator in advanced precision hydraulics and fine precision machining.
The combat-proven F/A-18 Classic Hornet was a legendary twin-engine multi-role fighter aircraft whose maiden flight was on 18 November 1978 and served various international air forces worldwide ever since. Since 2002, RUAG Australia has maintained and repaired the flight control actuators of the regional Hornet fleet and since 2004, began providing Landing Gear and Flight Control MRO as well as engineering services. More recently, services provided have increased to include Environmental Control Systems (ECS), Pressurisation Systems and Secondary Power Systems as well as on-base technical and engineering support. The RUAG team is extremely proud to have utilised their highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce in MRO, engineering and manufacturing to deliver high quality and innovative sustainment solutions to support a high level of operational availability of the Classic Hornet fleet and sovereign capability.
RUAG Australia
