Members of Parliament (MP) in Australia recently said that the $117.1 million facilities project to support the introduction of the new Boeing [BA] F/A-18F Super Hornet has been approved.
“The Super Hornet’s advanced, networked weapons system will give Australia unprecedented air combat capability to meet the demands of the modern battlespace across the spectrum of air defense, strategic land attack and maritime strike,” Joel Fitzgibbon, Australia’s Minister for Defence, said in a statement.
The new facilities are essential to support the fundamental shift in communications, security and maintenance requirements for the new aircraft and its weapons system, according to Australia’s Defence Ministry.
“The Super Hornet will allow Australia to implement a planned withdrawal of the F-111,” Fitzgibbon added.
The Australian Super Hornet Facilities Project will deliver the facilities and infrastructure to support No. 82 Wing’s operations at Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley for at least 10 years from 2010, the Ministry said.
“This project will inject cash into the local economy by creating jobs for trades people and laborers,” Shayne Neumann, the Federal Member for Blair, MP, added.
Construction is planned to start in early 2009 on the facilities project to support the 24 new jets.