For 96 years, Boeing and its Australian heritage companies have been part of the fabric of this country’s aerospace industry.
Since de Havilland Australia first opened its doors in Melbourne in 1927 to the first flight of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat in 2021, Boeing Australia has been at the forefront of airpower innovation, working in close partnership with Air Force and local industry to reimagine the future.
Boeing’s relationship with the RAAF, and the broader Australian Defence Force (ADF), has never been stronger or more important than it is today. United by a common purpose to safeguard Australia and its people, we work side-by-side to create next-generation products and services that help deliver transformational capabilities.
There are few better examples of that enduring partnership than on Boeing Defence Australia’s (BDA) platform sustainment programs. For close to 30 years, BDA has worked together with Air Force to deliver maintenance, upgrade and modification services to their frontline fleets. Today, BDA is contracted to sustain the largest number of ADF aircraft types including C-17 Globemasters, CH-47F Chinooks, F/A-18F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E-7A Wedgetails, P-8 Poseidons and the soon-to-be-introduced AH-64E Apaches.
Boeing also trains the ADF’s next generation of helicopter aircrew under the Helicopter Aircrew Training System, as well as operators, maintainers and aircrew for E-7As, P-8As, C-17s, CH-47s, the Wakulda air battle management system, and the Currawong Battlespace Communications System. In addition, Australian subsidiary Insitu Pacific is delivering the Integrator tactical uncrewed aerial system and associated training for pilots and maintainers for the Australian Army.
Combined, these training and sustainment solutions are helping ensure the ADF’s platforms and personnel are mission-ready and prepared for future operational and humanitarian assistance roles.
Boeing’s commitment to collaborating, innovating and evolving Australian airpower is achieved through our two Australian defence research and development arms: Boeing Research & Technology – Australia and Phantom Works Global. Individually, they undertake ground-breaking work; together, they’re formidable.
There are few more potent examples of their combined strength than in autonomous systems. Boeing Australia has been a crucial testbed for The Boeing Company’s autonomous technology, with the MQ-28 Ghost Bat the most globally-significant example of what their collaborations can achieve. This is enhanced by local partnerships with CSIRO, Defence Science and Technology Group and leading Australian universities.
Beyond the air domain, Boeing’s goal is to be a leader in Australia’s growing space industry. ADF forces have relied on the Boeing-built Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) network for secure communications since 2013. Since then, Boeing first delivered satellite-on-the-move capability on the RAAF’s C-17A Globemaster III in 2015, and has since delivered Australian-integrated satellite communications terminals certified for use on the WGS network under the Currawong battlespace communications system program.
Boeing Australia is also supporting the Commonwealth by developing new approaches to modelling and simulation including the construction of complex, multi-domain, and joint force scenarios to understand the implications of a contested, degraded, and operationally-limited space environment.
With the broadest aerospace portfolio in Australian industry, Boeing’s local operations will continue to partner with our customers to redefine military aviation – now and long into the future.
Picture Boeing Australia delivers world-leading military aircraft maintenance, upgrade and modification services to the ADF’s frontline platforms, including the EA-18G Growler.
