RUAG Australia has signed on with Honeywell International to become a Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) Authorised Service Centre for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Wheels and Brakes program in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
Following on from receiving authority to proceed from the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), the establishment of the Honeywell MRO Authorised Service Centre will be exclusive to RUAG in the APAC region and support ongoing maintenance and sustainment of the wheels and brakes for the fifth generation F-35 fleet.
RUAG Australia says it will transition its defence and aerospace technical team from current legacy programs into the F-35 Global Support Systems (GSS). RUAG has a long-standing history of partnering with Honeywell on various Defence platforms and programs.
“We are honoured to partner with RUAG Australia to provide wheels and brakes sustainment and support services for the F-35 fleet in the APAC region. With decades of experience, Honeywell is well positioned to support RUAG’s MRO requirements that also complement sovereign capabilities for the ADF," Carlo Malatesta, Senior Customer Business Manager, Honeywell, said. "The APAC region is a high growth region for Defence, and the launch of this Authorised Service Centre will further strengthen the industry’s capabilities for years to come.”
“We have seized the opportunity to deliver reliable MRO solutions for the F-35 GSS program, by leveraging our expertise and long-standing success of providing MRO sustainment for complex aircraft components," Terry Miles, General Manager of RUAG Australia, said. "This is a significant boost for Australian sovereign Defence capability and sets the foundation for future industry growth whilst supporting local employment opportunities.”
“This achievement is yet another significant milestone for developing Australia’s industrial sovereign capability and delivering our commitment as one of the joint partner nations in the F-35 Program. Kudos to the RUAG Australia team and Honeywell International for embracing continuous improvement and capability development at a local level to improve global competitiveness,” said Felix Ammann, Executive Vice President, RUAG MRO International.