South Australia will be home to a purpose-built 737 deep maintenance and modification facility.

Announced at the weekend, the $160 million facility is being built as a partnership between the South Australian Government and the Department of Defence.

Development of this facility will provide the critical infrastructure necessary for the maintenance and upgrade of the RAAF’s P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, and the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft.

The P-8A and the E-7A are both military derivatives of the Boeing 737 aircraft. Providing a long-term deep maintenance and modification facility adjacent RAAF Base Edinburgh for both types of aircraft leverages the substantial capability investment for operational maintenance already made in the P-8A platform at RAAF Base Edinburgh.

Construction is expected to begin by mid-2023 and be fully operational by 2025.

Image credit: Boeing Australia