Avalon 2025: Australia enhances aircraft sustainment activities

MRO-related activities in Australia of US Navy Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton RPAS will also help enhance Australia's ability to sustain its own Triton fleet. (US Navy)

The US Navy's ability to sustain its Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Tritons in the Indo-Pacific has received a boost after Australia announced that the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) will undergo comprehensive maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Edinburgh.

The announcement, by the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) on 26 March, was among a slew of other sustainment-related announcements that coincided with Avalon Australian International Airshow 2025. The airshow is being conducted in southern Australia from 25 to 30 March.

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) also confirmed a similar intent for its fleet of P-8A Poseidon aircraft. In addition, Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) also announced on 26 March that it has been selected to maintain the Australian Army's new Airbus H135 ‘Juno' training helicopter fleet.

“These initiatives support the delivery of the priorities outlined in the Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS), strengthening the Sovereign Defence Industry Priority Number 1– MRO and upgrade of Australian Defence Force (ADF) and trusted partner aircraft in Australia,” the DoD said.

According to Naomi Smith, director of Sustainment Operations for BDA, Australia's support of NZDF P-8A Poseidons “builds on [BDA's] existing life-of-type partnership and six-year sustainment engineering and supply support contract” for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-8As. The agreement “will leverage” the P-8A capability that the company has developed with the RAAF over the past nine years, Smith said.