Boeing

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.

Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company and a business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, is a leading Australian aerospace enterprise. With a world-class team of about 1,500 employees at 15 locations throughout Australia and four international sites, Boeing Defence Australia supports some of the largest and most complex defense projects in Australia.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 62,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

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Contact:

Melanie Shanahan
Boeing Defence Australia
+61 (0)7-3306-3132
melanie.a.shanahan@boeing.com