The U.S. State Department has authorized a potential $2.0 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Australia for sustainment support and related equipment for the F/A-18F and EA-18G aircraft.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the approval on June 16.
According to the DSCA, Boeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft, will serve as the principal contractor for the proposed deal.
The sale supports the Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet of F/A-18F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft.
The FMS package includes 60 Joint Tactical Terminal-Transceivers (JTT-X), 40 advanced electronic warfare systems, and 24 Next Generation Electronic Attack Units (NGEAU), which will enhance the aircrafts’ communications and electronic warfare capabilities.
Also included are AN/PYQ-10C Simple Key Loaders, Inline Network Encryptors, AN/ALE-47 countermeasure systems, Joint Mission Planning System software, spare and repair parts, and logistics support.
Australia is the only country besides the United States that operates the EA-18G Growler. It currently fields 12 Growlers and 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets.
The DSCA said that the sale will help Australia maintain a capable air force and support shared security goals in the Indo-Pacific.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States,” the DSCA said in a press release. “Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific.
“The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the Western Pacific. It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist our ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability,” the DSCA added.
