With the repair and overhaul needed for the 46 retired F/A-18 Classic Hornet aircraft that will be sold to air combat training company Air USA, Melissa Price , Minister for Defence Industry said there will be “24 direct industry jobs” while the Australian Air Force transitions from these older planes to the newer F-35s.
The F/A-18 will be used to provide training services to the US Air Force and will be prepared over the next three to four years.
Price said the work will provide employment certainty for workers in the NSW Hunter region.
“This highlights the strong performance of the region’s defence industry in servicing and maintaining the Classic Hornets over the past 30 years,” said Price
“Apart from the jobs directly supported by the work at RAAF Base Williamtown, more defence industry jobs are expected to be created across Australia through repair and overhaul work on aircraft servicing components.”
The RAAF Classic Hornet fleet is being progressively retired as the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter is introduced into service. The federal government has now taken delivery of 20 Joint Strike Fighters (F-35s), out of a total order of 72.