Australia has opened a new AUD 200 million facility at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia to support maintenance work on the Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon fleet. The site is intended to handle deeper maintenance for the maritime patrol aircraft, which are based on the Boeing 737-800 and used for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue, and surveillance missions.
According to local defence industry reporting, Boeing Defence Australia began deeper maintenance work on the first of Australia’s 12 P-8A aircraft at Edinburgh after securing a $60 million contract in 2021. Boeing also provides through-life support for the aircraft under separate sustainment arrangements.
The P-8A fleet has been in RAAF service since 2016 and has been deployed extensively for operations and exercises. The new maintenance hub adds domestic capacity for long-term support of the aircraft as Australia continues to expand its maritime patrol and response capability.