The United States government has approved the potential sale of a significant logistics support and sustainment package for the Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet of F/A-18F Super Hornet fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft. The operation was confirmed through the latest notification from the U.S. Department of State to Congress, seeking approval for the US$2 billion deal under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
According to the April 9 notification published by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Australian government requested the acquisition of a sustainment and support package for its fighter and electronic attack aircraft fleet.
The package, valued at US$2 billion, will be primarily provided by Boeing, the main contractor, and includes:
- Sixty (60) Global Lightning – Joint Tactical Terminal (JTT-X) transceivers
- Forty (40) advanced electronic warfare systems
- Twenty-four (24) Next Generation Electronic Attack Units (NGEAU)
Additionally, the package includes components and spare parts, maintenance and support services, as well as hardware and software upgrades for the aircraft.
The Department of State stated: “The proposed sale will improve Australia’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing the necessary follow-on sustainment support services for its F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft fleet. It will also enhance Australia’s ability to support coalition operations and contribute to mutual security goals in the region. Australia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces.”
It is worth noting that this recent authorization adds to several others approved by the Department of State in favor of Australia during 2025. In more detail, this past April, the U.S. also approved the potential sale of 400 modern BVR air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM), including AIM-120C-8 and AIM-120D-3 variants.
Earlier, in March, the potential sale of aircraft protection equipment to the Royal Australian Air Force was also confirmed, including flare decoys and chaff cartridges valued at US$165 million.
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