Page 14 - Australian Defence Magazine Feb-Mar 21

14 NEWS REVIEW
INDUSTRY UPDATE
FEBRUARY – MARCH 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
MINISTERS MAKE A FLURRY OF F-35 ANNOUNCEMENTS
LEFT: F-35 Lightning II aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown fly in formation off the coast of Newcastle.
which would also be included under the support arrangements.
“The simulators at RAAF Bases Wil- liamtown and Tindal have the ability to be networked together and share mission data to greatly enhance training.”
The contract will be delivered with sup- port from Williamtown-based air combat training specialist Milskil.
“The TSS contract ensures the world- class sovereign F-35 training support ser- vices solution we developed with Milskil is sustained for a further three years, while further solidifying RAAF Base William- town as Lockheed Martin’s largest F-35 base presence outside of the US,” Lock- heed Martin Australia chief Joe North said.
The milestone coincides with the RAAF’s withdrawal from pilot training ar- rangements at Luke Air Force Base in the US, bringing training arrangements back to Australia.
Separately, Minister Reynolds an- nounced the Joint Strike Fighter – Indus- try Support Program (JSF-ISP), with $4 million initially available in grant funding to establish the program.
A NUMBER of announcements related to Australia’s F-35 program were made in late 2020, starting with the news that Lock- heed Martin has been awarded a sovereign Training Support Services (TSS) contract.
“This contract is valued at up to $100 million over a term of up to five years, and will see more than 70 ADF personnel lo-
cally employed at RAAF Bases William- town and Tindal,” Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds said. “The agreement includes the operation and maintenance support for six F-35A Full Mission Simula- tors at RAAF Base Williamtown.
“There are plans to install four more simulators at RAAF Base Tindal in 2021,
TENDERS OPEN FOR REGIONAL MAINTENANCE CENTRES
DEFENCE is looking for an Australian in- dustry partner to deliver a new, innovative approach to the sustainment of Navy’s fleet through the establishment of Region- al Maintenance Centres (RMCs).
A tender has opened for a Regional Maintenance Provider for Defence’s first RMC – RMC North East in Cairns.
Regional Maintenance Providers will en- sure sustainment capability in strategic Navy homeports and over time will be able to con- duct maintenance on a range of vessels.
CASG’s Head Maritime Systems, Rear Admiral Wendy Malcolm said the new ap- proach will ensure delivery of complex na- val capability and will increase opportuni- ties for local small and medium businesses.
“The new approach, as outlined in De- fence’s Plan Galileo, is part of the Austra- lian Government’s investment of over $170 billion in naval shipbuilding announced in the 2020 Force Structure Plan. This will result in the fleet doubling in tonnage and
significantly increasing in complexity,” RADM Malcolm said.
“Regional Maintenance Providers will coordinate the delivery of mainte- nance and build resilient local and re- gional supply chains on behalf of the Commonwealth.
“This will provide more stable work packages and remove barriers to entry for local small and medium busi-
nesses, enabling the opportunity
for increased participation.” RMC North East is the first of four to be set up, and will be in place by the end of 2021 to initially sustain Navy’s six new Evolved Cape Class Patrol Boats.
RIGHT: Regional Maintenance Providers will ensure sustainment capability in strategic
Navy homeports.
This will be supported by the Skill- ing Australia’s Defence Industry (SADI) Grants program, which provides busi- nesses servicing the defence sector with upskilling and training opportunities.
The tender opened on 27 November 2020 and will close on 12 March 2021. Further information is available in ADM’s Tender Bulletin.
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