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Boeing Wins Contract to Paint Royal Australian Air Force Fleet

Boeing - 3/16/2012

BRISBANE, Queensland, March 16, 2012 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] subsidiary Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) has been awarded a three-year contract to perform aircraft surface finishing services for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft fleet.

The contract, worth approximately AUS$20 million, involves preparing, remediating and painting AP-3C Orion, C-130H Hercules, F/A-18 Hornet, and Hawk-127 aircraft across multiple locations in Australia and New Zealand.

BDA's flexible solution includes standing up a surface finishing services capability at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales.

"This win is a testament to BDA's proven record of exceeding our customers' expectations with high-quality, affordable solutions," said Kim Gillis, managing director, BDA. "The contract is expected to create up to a dozen new positions in Williamtown and to provide continued employment for employees at our Corrosion Control Facility at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland."

From 2013, Williamtown will become the primary facility for painting F/A-18 classic Hornets, while Amberley will immediately focus on the Hawk-127. BDA supplier Air New Zealand will provide paint finishing services for the AP-3C Orion at its facility in Christchurch, with maintenance support provided by Australian Aerospace. The C-130H Hercules will be painted by BDA supplier Flying Colours Aviation in Townsville, North Queensland.

"BDA has a decade of experience providing surface finishing services for the Australian Defence Force, having completed 90 military fixed wing, rotary wing and fast jets at our Amberley facility," said Murray Brabrook, general manager, Integrated Logistics, BDA. "We look forward to partnering with the Aerospace Materiel Systems Program Office to provide a comprehensive paint solution that ensures ongoing operational effectiveness."

A C-130H Hercules will be the first aircraft painted in Townsville under the contract in mid-April, followed by a fleet of Hawk-127s at RAAF Base Amberley.