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With the retirement of the Royal Australian Air Force’s Lockheed AP-3C Orion in 2023, RUAG Australia marked its contribution to the aircraft’s 21 years of long service life and reliable performance.
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Over the past 17 years, the RUAG Australia team has delivered consistent and reliable MRO capabilities as the aircraft performance continues to be required throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
The expertise gained through supporting the AP-3C over its service life cycle has positioned RUAG Australia as an organisation that can deliver affordable and sustainable solutions to other ageing platforms that may be in need of ongoing upgrades, maintenance and repairs.
Since 2002, RUAG Australia's commitment to life cycle support of the AP-3C Orion has been company-wide. The Bayswater, Airport West and Amberley MRO facilities have been an integral part in supporting the platform.
Terry Miles, general manager RUAG Australia, said, "We now look ahead in providing MRO support to the next generation of Defence aircraft in the same professional way."
Wheels, brakes and landing gear components have been maintained at Bayswater; environmental control system, engine driven compressor, air turbine starter, and electrical components have been maintained at Airport West; and fuel pump and hydraulic components at Amberley.
RUAG Australia also supported AP-3C maintenance at a repair site in Richmond, NSW, before relocating its capabilities to Bayswater in 2015.
Overall, the need for repairs has begun to ramp up as the system approaches the end of its service life. Over the last four years, the team at RUAG Australia has applied 286 repairs at Bayswater, 242 repairs at Amberley, and 270 repairs at Airport West.
"Projecting forward, the F-35 Joint Program Office assignments are a genuine reflection of our people across the company, and their knowledge and skill. Our people value the reputation for reliable service that they have developed over many years serving our customers," Miles added.
RUAG Australia’s contribution to the availability of the AP-3C Orion has stretched far beyond maintenance and direct repairs. Drawing on their full complement of resources, competence in engineering and precision manufacturing, as well as MRO, the teams at the various sites have been able to create solutions to issues that would otherwise have reduced fleet availability and increased costs.
Generally, each of the individual teams within the RUAG Australia organisation finds itself contributing to sustained AP-3C Orion fleet availability and customer satisfaction in several ways.
The advanced technology and engineering services team has contributed to several deviations and design certificates in support of the AP-3C Orion. This extensive work has provided the customer with significant cost reductions, as well as a crucial reduction in lead times, by devising technology focused on component recovery rather than new part procurement.
The processing team has provided machining, NDT, plating, and painting services to support component repairs, and the manufacturing team has manufactured 41 parts for specific repairs as well as oversize bushes required for the repair of main and nose landing gears.
The RUAG Australia team takes the value of the skills and experience gained from this life cycle support MRO success forward and applies it to the Australian Defence Force’s newest military platforms and technologies.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
