Boeing Australia
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Defence |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Multiple locations (headquarters functions in Melbourne and Brisbane) , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Aerospace components, defence systems, aviation services |
Number of employees | 4500+ |
| Parent | Boeing |
Boeing Australia represents the largest branch of Boeing situated outside the United States. Founded in 1997, it manages seven fully owned subsidiaries, overseeing Boeing’s aerospace and defence activities throughout Australia.
Employing more than 4,500 personnel across 38 sites nationwide, excluding Tasmania, Boeing Australia has committed over $800 million in investments and achieves approximately $400 million in export earnings from its commercial and defence offerings.
Early Development
Boeing’s Australian operations trace back to Boeing Aerostructures Australia (BAA), which originated as de Havilland Australia (DHA) in 1927. DHA transitioned to Hawker de Havilland Australia (HdH) in 1961 and incorporated the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) in 1986. Boeing purchased HdH in 2000 and subsequently renamed it BAA.
In a separate lineage, the Australian government's Department of Aircraft Production (DAP), created in 1939 and later renamed Government Aircraft Factories (GAF), was restructured into Aerospace Technologies of Australia (ASTA) in 1987. ASTA was privatised and acquired by Rockwell International in 1995, then absorbed by Boeing in 1996 when Rockwell Australia became Boeing Australia. Boeing further expanded by acquiring Aerospace Technologies of Australia in 1997.
Boeing broadened its footprint in Australia by purchasing several subsidiaries: Jeppesen in 2000, Alteon in 2002, Aviall in 2006, and Insitu Pacific in 2009.
In 2012, Boeing Australia streamlined its commercial manufacturing operations by closing the Bankstown facility in Sydney and relocating activities to Fishermans Bend, Melbourne.
Integration with Boeing Business Units
Boeing Australia provides support to all principal Boeing divisions:
- Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA)
- Composite component production conducted by Boeing Aerostructures Australia (BAA) located in Port Melbourne.
- Sales assistance delivered through Boeing Distribution Australia based in Sydney.
- Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS)
- Network systems, communications, and mission solutions for the Commonwealth of Australia and Australian Defence Force, managed by Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) situated in Brisbane.
- Production and development of the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat handled by BAA; operational support and maintenance provided by BDA.
- Rapid prototyping capabilities offered by Phantom Works Australia (PW-A) also located in Brisbane.
- Insitu Pacific operates out of Alderley, Queensland.
- Boeing Global Services (BGS)
- Services for commercial aviation delivered via BAA, Alteon Training Australia, Aviall, Jeppesen Australia, and Jeppesen Marine.
- Maintenance support and training facilitated by BDA.
Furthermore, Boeing Australia's portfolio includes Boeing Research & Technology - Australia (BR&T-A), which functions at two facilities: the Melbourne Technology Centre—specializing in composites and automated manufacturing—co-located with BAA; and the Brisbane Technology Centre—focusing on advanced autonomy, modelling, and simulation—based at the University of Queensland.
Boeing Aerostructures Australia
Boeing Aerostructures Australia (BAA), previously known as Hawker de Havilland and Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, is engaged in the design, testing, certification, and manufacturing of sophisticated aerostructures primarily for commercial aviation clients, while also maintaining a substantial role in defence. Located at Fishermans Bend in Melbourne, BAA's origins trace back to 1927, with a legacy that includes aircraft production for the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War.
As Australia's exclusive designer and producer of advanced composite aerostructure components for commercial planes, BAA manufactures the 'moveable trailing edge' control surfaces for the Boeing 787 using a distinctive carbon fibre resin infusion process developed in Victoria. This $5 billion contract spanning two decades stands as the largest aerospace agreement in Australia. Fishermans Bend is the sole Boeing facility globally utilizing this resin infusion technology, which allows components to be cured without employing conventional autoclave methods. To accommodate increased 787 output over the next ten years, BAA has invested $70 million in upgrading its infrastructure.
With a workforce exceeding 1,000 employees, BAA also produces flight control elements such as rudders for the 737, winglets, ailerons (as the exclusive supplier), along with cove lip doors, elevators, and rudders for the Boeing 777.
Boeing Defence Australia
Boeing Defence Australia (BDA), a division within Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS), provides aerospace defence solutions tailored to the Australian Government and Defence Force requirements. BDA supports activities across all three BDS sectors: Military Aircraft, Global Services & Support, and Network & Space Systems.
Major products and services offered in Australia encompass:
- Military transport aircraft C-17 Globemaster III (including delivery of Australia's sixth C-17),
- CH-47 Chinook helicopters,
- 737 Wedgetail AEW&C platforms,
- F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets,
- Aerospace support programs such as F-111 Through Life Support and F/A-18 Hornet Upgrade initiatives,
- Army aviation training and maintenance,
- Harpoon missile systems,
- Joint Direct Attack Munitions,
- Network-enabled defense systems,
- Defence High Frequency Communication System (DHFCS),
- ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicles,
- Collaborative involvement in the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) Satellite program alongside the U.S. Air Force.
BDA oversees classified projects and operates government facilities, strengthening Boeing's strategic footprint within Australia's defence aerospace market.
Boeing Distribution Australia
BCA Sales, operating from Boeing Australia's Sydney office, handles sales, marketing, customer engineering, as well as quality assurance and procurement for BCA product lines.
The first Australian office of BCA was launched in Sydney in 1959 when Qantas became Boeing’s initial international purchaser of the Boeing 707, marking a significant reduction in travel times for Australian passengers. The Boeing 737 has also played a crucial role in expanding Australia's aviation sector.
The Commercial Aviation Services (CAS) division supplies materials and engineering support to Boeing customers within Australia. CAS incorporates Alteon Training Australia, Aviall, Jeppesen Australia, and Jeppesen Marine.
Within CAS, Boeing Field Service provides on-site technical assistance to Boeing clients with representatives stationed in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. This service utilizes BCA's technical expertise to address operational challenges efficiently.
Boeing Research and Technology
In 2003, Boeing collaborated with the University of Queensland School of IT and Electrical Engineering to tackle the shortage of aviation and aerospace expertise in Australia. The company contributed $1.55 million to create a Professorship in Systems Engineering, connected to the Wedgetail 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control initiative in partnership with the Australian Commonwealth Department of Defence.
This partnership provided support to Defence Industries Queensland under the Queensland Department of State Development, as well as Boeing Defence Australia located at RAAF Base Amberley.
In 2008, Boeing established a division of its advanced research unit, Boeing Research & Technology (BR&T), within Australia. This branch was designed to foster collaboration with local enterprises, universities, private research organizations, the CSIRO, and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO).
Boeing's enduring research alliance with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) dates back to 1991. One notable outcome of this cooperation was the development of a 3D sensing and mapping payload for a NASA robotic device operating aboard the International Space Station.