Super Hornet component contract for Melbourne company
Boeing has awarded Melbourne-based Production Parts Pty Ltd a one-year contract to provide rudder pedal kits for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The contract also gives Production Parts options on future contracts Boeing receives from the U.S. Navy and international customers.
“This contract not only demonstrates the global competitiveness of Australian companies, but also is a testament to the success of the Australian government’s Office of Australian Industry Capability program,” said Peter Nicholls, managing director of Production Parts. “This program has enabled Production Parts to bid and win work with one of the world’s largest defence primes, and we look forward to a long-term relationship and further opportunities with The Boeing Company.”
Production Parts was originally identified as a potential Boeing supplier through the OAIC. Boeing established the OAIC in 2007 in coordination with Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation to help qualified Australian defence suppliers enter Boeing’s global supply chain. The OAIC works with these primarily small-to-medium enterprises to identify bid opportunities and to provide them with aerospace-focused training and mentoring.
“We’re delighted to see Production Parts join our global supply chain,” said Ian Thomas, president, Boeing Australia & South Pacific. “This is a promising partnership and comes at an exciting time for the defence industry in Australia, particularly as the Boeing Super Hornet is about to enter service with the Royal Australian Air Force. Boeing remains fully committed to helping Australian small-to-medium enterprises generate sustainable business.”
The Australian government became the first Super Hornet customer outside the United States in 2007 when it signed a contract with the U.S. Navy to acquire 24 F/A-18Fs. Australia’s first five Super Hornets arrived in Australia in March, and the remaining aircraft will be delivered throughout the remainder of 2010 and 2011.
A wholly-owned unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest such businesses, specialising in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and is the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.
