Defence invests $659 million for new security infrastructure at RAAF Edinburgh

Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne and Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP today announced $659 million in funding at RAAF Base Edinburgh to support the cutting edge anti-submarine and surveillance plane, the P-8A Poseidon.

Defence will invest $250 million in a Boeing training simulator system at RAAF Base Edinburgh, and $409 million to improve base facilities for full operations, estimated for completion by early 2019.

Minister Pyne said the announcement of the surveillance plane and technology systems will create jobs and support the local economy as part of a broader, long term plan to grow the operations of Edinburgh airbase.

“This significant investment in Defence facilities will create more than 70 jobs in the local area,” Minister Pyne said.

“Lendlease, the contractor engaged by Defence to construct the facilities at RAAF Base Edinburgh, has advised that the vast majority of the work to construct the facilities is going to contractors from the local area,” he said.

Minister Payne said the high-tech training systems will enable the Royal Australian Air Force to better prepare pilots and Defence force personnel for real-life scenarios.

“The Poseidon aircraft will provide strong and valuable support to Australia’s maritime security well into the future,” Minister Payne said.

“The simulator will be a part of a broader investment in the at RAAF Edinburgh to make it ‘Poseidon ready’ by extending the runway and building new state of the art maintenance hangers and facilities.”

Both Ministers congratulated Defence’s program partners, the United States Navy and Boeing, on the significant achievement and said the $5.4 billion Defence P-8A Poseidon Program is creating many growth opportunities for Australian industry and job seekers.