RUAG Achieves First Component Repairs on RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet

BAYSWATER: RUAG Australia has completed first component repairs on the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornets. The company’s Airport West facility performed extensive testing, fault diagnosis, and expert repair on the aircraft’s Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) while the company’s Hydraulic Centre of Excellence at Bayswater and Amberley carried out hydraulic component repairs on MLG Brake Assemblies and Hydraulic Swivel Joints, all for the first time.

These repairs have all led to the return to service of the F/A-18F Super Hornet in a timely and cost-effective manner. RUAG fulfilled the repairs to the F/A-18 F Super Hornet, achieving high quality standards and short lead-times, using current capabilities. The aircraft life cycle support provider’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) teams throughout its Australian facilities have gained technical expertise from their comprehensive work on the F/A-18 A/B Hornet. The knowledge and skills acquired have enabled RUAG to carry out the Super Hornet repairs reliably and accurately, thus enabling the RAAF to benefit from sustainable aircraft availability.

“Our extensive work on the hydraulic, APU and undercarriage systems of a variety of RAAF platforms including the F/A-18 A/B Hornet, C-130 Hercules, E-7A Wedgetail, C-27J Spartan, AP3C Orion and the C-17A Globemaster III has made our MRO teams indispensable,” said General Manager, RUAG Australia, Terry Miles. “We are proud that the RAAF has entrusted us to add component repair for one of their premier combat jets, the F/A-18F Super Hornet, to our portfolio of aircraft for in-country MRO.” “The unique capabilities at the RUAG Australia Hydraulic Centre of Excellence prove a significant contribution and ensure our solutions continue to meet the demands of the RAAF and their aircraft well into the future,” confirms Senior Vice President Aviation International, RUAG MRO International, Stephan Jezler. “We are very proud to contribute to a high fleet availability of the RAAF.”