Boeing has signed a three-year strategic agreement with family-owned Flying Colours Aviation (FCA) to paint Australia’s E-7A Wedgetail and P-8A Poseidon aircraft as part of deeper maintenance services. It is anticipated that FCA will paint between nine to 12 aircraft over the course of the initial three-year agreement with options to extend the contract into the future. Repainting is the final step of the P-8A and E-7A’s deeper maintenance services performed by BDA around every 72 months. It involves stripping the aircraft back to bare metal; inspecting and repairing for corrosion, defects and dents; painting and applying decals. The aircraft are transferred from BDA’s deeper maintenance facilities at RAAF Base Edinburgh and Amberley to FCA at Townsville airport. To date, FCA has painted four E-7A Wedgetails and completed its first P-8A earlier this year, with the second P-8A scheduled in July.
“The increased volume of work resulting from the commencement of deeper maintenance on the RAAF’s fleet of 12 P-8A aircraft this year, along with our ongoing commitments on E-7A, was the trigger for a formalised, ongoing strategic agreement between Boeing and FCA. FCA is providing a critical service in support of Defence’s commercial derivative aircraft – and is one of the only suppliers in Australia who can physically accommodate a P-8A. They also meet our requirements in terms of environmentally friendly and sustainable business practices through the use of alternatives to harmful chemicals and processes that reduce material and waste volumes. FCA have held contracts to paint Boeing 737s for QANTAS and Virgin for almost 22 years so have the proven capability, facility and accreditation to paint Defence’s 737 derivatives,” said Darryn Fletcher, Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) director of Commercial Derivative Aircraft.
Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft. (Photo by Royal Australian Air Force)
The E-7A Wedgetail provides Royal Australian Air Force with one of the most advanced airspace battle management capabilities in the world. The Wedgetail’s ability to coordinate a joint air, sea and land battle in real time significantly increases the effectiveness of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Operated by No. 2 Squadron, Air Force’s 6 E-7A Wedgetail aircraft are based at RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle. Based on the Boeing 737-700 series aircraft, the Wedgetail has been modified for the modern battlespace. Simultaneous tracking of airborne and maritime targets is made possible through the addition of an advanced Northrop Grumman Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar and 10 state-of-the-art mission crew consoles. The Wedgetail combines long-range surveillance radar, secondary radar and tactical/strategic voice and data communications systems to provide an airborne early warning and control platform.
The P-8A Poseidon is Royal Australian Air Force’s proven multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft. No. 92 Wing currently commands 12 P-8A aircraft which are operated by No. 11 and No. 292 Squadrons at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Based on the commercial design of Boeing’s 737-800, the P-8A is built specifically as a military aircraft and has been substantially modified to include: a weapons bay, under wing and under fuselage hard points for weapons, sonobuoy deployment system and increased structural strength for low level operations (down to 200ft). The P-8A Poseidon has deployed on a vast number of operations and exercises since its first arrival in 2016, ratifying its high capability to generate effects in its primary roles of: anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue, maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and overland intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The internal fuel capacity of almost 34 tonnes allows the P-8A to conduct low-level anti-submarine warfare operations more than 2,000 kilometres from base.
Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft. (Photo by Royal Australian Air Force)
