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The Queensland government has awarded a $1.3 million grant to Leidos Australia for its facilities in far north Queensland.
Part of the state’s $180.6 million Sovereign Industry Development Fund (SIDF), the grant will enable Leidos to “relocate and upgrade its Mission Equipment Service Centre”, boosting its capacity to maintain advanced airborne radar and electro-optic systems.
“The investment will strengthen Queensland’s sovereign defence capability by enabling more sustainment work to be undertaken locally, positioning the facility as a primary maintenance facility for radars and electro-optic turrets in the Pacific, ensuring that this essential work does not go overseas,” the government said in a statement.
“Once operational in 2028, the upgraded facility will support the more than 100 existing Leidos staff as well as create at least seven new mission equipment technician jobs in Cairns, positioning Queensland as a key location in northern Australia’s sovereign defence sustainment capability.”
Leidos Australia CEO Paul Chase has welcomed the funding, saying it will “expand the company’s ability to support critical mission systems from northern Australia”.
“Leidos’ Mission Equipment Service Centre (MESC) delivers advanced maintenance, repair and overhaul services for complex maritime and airborne mission systems that are critical to national security and emergency response,” he said.
“The only facility of its kind in the southern hemisphere, the MESC provides sovereign support for radar, electro-optical, avionics and integrated mission systems.
“Leidos is grateful for Queensland’s support that will enable the MESC to continue maintaining, repairing and overhauling critical sensors across the region while expanding support to additional sensors for military, police and other services.
“This grant will help sustain Australia’s sovereign capability and bolster Leidos’ presence in Cairns.”
According to Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie, the SIDF is “helping build sovereign industry capability and leveraging Queensland’s strengths in the re-focused state development priorities of biomedical, defence and biofuels”.
“Queensland is open for business and also home to a growing defence industry, and this investment will strengthen the capability needed to support critical defence operations,” Deputy Premier Bleijie said.
“By expanding advanced maintenance facilities in Cairns, we’re ensuring more specialised work can be undertaken here in Queensland, reducing reliance on offshore maintenance while supporting skilled jobs and economic growth.
“We’re backing investment-ready projects that strengthen Queensland’s priority industries and position the state as a key contributor to Australia’s national defence capability.”
Leidos last year won a two-year extension to its fixed-wing search-and-rescue contract with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
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