Boeing has awarded Australia-based Ferra Engineering a contract to manufacture wing kits for the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC), reinforcing the long-standing industrial partnership between the two companies.
The award will allow the Queensland-headquartered firm to establish a domestic production line for the advanced system, contributing to the growth of Australia’s sovereign defence manufacturing capabilities.
HAAWC is an all-weather solution that enables P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to deploy Mk 54 lightweight torpedoes from much higher altitudes and greater stand-off ranges than previously achievable.
The capability is based on a wing kit that allows the torpedo to glide to a designated release area using GPS-aided guidance, while retaining the ability to operate in GPS-denied environments through inertial navigation alone.
The system supports torpedo release from altitudes of up to 30,000 feet (9,144 metres), a significant increase over the traditional release height of approximately 100 feet (30 metres).
By eliminating the requirement for low-altitude torpedo drops, HAAWC enhances aircraft survivability and delivers operational efficiencies in terms of fuel consumption and mission timelines.
The contract builds on Ferra’s expanding role within Boeing’s global supply chain. The company already produces precision components for the MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed aircraft and supplies parts to US-based production lines supporting platforms such as the F/A-18F Super Hornet, AH-64E Apache, and the P-8A Poseidon.
In 2023, Boeing and Ferra further strengthened their collaboration by signing a memorandum of understanding covering the production of wing kits for the Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended Range (JDAM-ER) and Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM-LR) programmes.
