2 May, 2019: RUAG Australia and Honeywell have confirmed and strengthened their current collaboration. The extended collaborative relationship sees RUAG Australia continuing as a Honeywell Authorized Service Center (ASC) and expanding its reach to include additional aircraft variants and component volumes from across the region. This enhanced licensing agreement has already shaped new business for the component maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) specialist.
Continuing the ASC partnership agreement with original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Honeywell, allows RUAG Australia access to an extensive list of additional platforms and components on aircraft belonging to the Australian Defence Force. Accordingly, RUAG is set to provide component level maintenance and repair services for Honeywell aeronautical, mechanical, engine accessories and environmental control system (ECS) equipment on the following aircraft: Boeing platforms, the 737 Wedgetail and the F/A-18F Super Hornet, and the Leonardo C-27J. This represents an important addition to existing RUAG capabilities. Independently, RUAG Australia already commands a trusted reputation within the Australian Defence Industry, serving as an in-country component MRO partner to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), for military platforms including the F/A-18, and is also now assigned as a MRO competence center for a number of F-35 components for Australia as well as the Asia region. This latest assignment includes key systems from Honeywell.
The extended agreement further strengthens RUAG as a Honeywell Channel Partner for Honeywell component-level MRO services on defence and civil aircraft throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The broader industry positioning and wider regional reach has increased demands on existing capacities. As a result, RUAG Australia facilities at Airport West and Amberley have already ramped-up processes to accommodate these additional support services and lines.
"Ensuring maximum support for the sustainment and availability of the Australian Defence Force fleet is our priority," states Terry Miles, General Manager, RUAG Australia. "At the same time, we are committed to developing deeper relationships with Honeywell, platform stewards and other significant OEMs to ensure maximum Australian content in support of the Australian Defence Force," he adds.
"Growing our business on the basis of multi-year OEM contracts clearly emphasizes successes we continue to achieve. This proves our competencies in current technologies and platforms, as well as for development-phase technologies and their subsequent aircraft platforms," says Stephan Jezler, Senior Vice President Aviation International, RUAG MRO International.
RUAG Australia has built its engineering expertise and reputation on the provision of maintenance and repair capability and additive repair technologies on the F/A-18A/B aircraft leading to recent awards of F-35 sustainment assignments. The company is an approved 9100D aerospace company, with additional customer and Nadcap (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) special processing approvals for plating, non-destructive testing (NDT), surface enhancement and painting. RUAG Australia maintains and operates a fixed and mobile SPD capability, as well as a fixed LAD capability, and is a DASA 145, EASA 145, CASA 145 approved organisation.