The US State Department has cleared a potential $250-million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Australia for training and support related to its F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft. The package includes non-major defense equipment, such as classified and unclassified pilot and maintenance training, protective equipment, technical assistance, logistics support, and other program-related services.
No primary contractor has been designated for the sale, as the required training will be delivered either by the US government or qualified contract vendors based on operational needs.
According to the notification, the case originally began as an $18-million package before being expanded through amendments in 2015 and 2018. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) acknowledged that Congress should have been informed when the 2018 amendment pushed the package above the notification threshold. The oversight came to light only after Australia requested an additional amendment.
The proposed sale is intended to enhance Australia’s defense readiness and strengthen interoperability with US and allied militaries. The Royal Australian Air Force currently operates 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets for air combat, interception, and close air support missions, alongside approximately 12 EA-18G Growlers for electronic warfare. Australia remains the only operator of the Growler outside the United States and recently began receiving Raytheon’s Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band pods to replace the aging AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System.
