JSF announcement establishes Australia as part of the Asia Pacific Hub for Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade (MRO&U) of the Joint Strike Fighter componentry, and HIFraser is proud to be the only SME on the list of approved contractors.
Australian companies have been successful in securing F-35 MRO&U contracts in ten out of eleven component categories on the offer, covering avionics, aircraft structure, electric components, refuelling valves, auxiliary power system, hydraulic, pneumatic and hydro-mechanical components, landing gear and life support system.
HIFraser has been awarded work for refuelling valve and auxiliary power system maintenance as a collaborator to the lead company RUAG. While RUAG will be responsible for majority of the systems, HIFraser will look after niche, technically-challenging aspects of the systems.
The work will be carried out at Sydney facility of HIFraser that over the last fifty years has served as the premises for maintenance of niche safety critical gas and liquid systems on every major Defence platform in Australia, including Collins Class submarines, Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD), Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), Guided Missile Frigate (FFG), Anzac-class Frigate (FFH) and Minehunter (MHC).
At this stage contracts have been assigned only for 65 out of 774 component groups and the qualification process is still underway, which means Australian businesses can secure more work in the next two to three years.
