CANBERRA, Australia, July 29 (UPI) -- Boeing Defense Australia is taking on a $129.5 million contract to provide services to sustain the Australian air force's Wedgetail surveillance plane.
The work on the air force's E-7A Wedgetail aircraft was originally to be undertaken in the United States, said Air Vice Marshal Colin Thorne, who heads up the Aerospace Systems Division for the Australian government's military equipment procurement agency, the Defense Materiel Organization.
"The six Wedgetail aircraft provide the Australian defense force with an enhanced airborne surveillance and control capability to detect aircraft at extended ranges," he said.
"Novation to an Australian prime contractor is testament to the growing ability of Australian industry to support the sustainment of Wedgetail operations. The effective transfer of integration engineering knowledge on complex airborne command and control capabilities from the United States into local defense industry is an important milestone for the E-7A Wedgetail project."
Under the contract, Boeing Defense Australia will provide engineering, maintenance, spare parts and training support for the country's Wedgetail fleet.
