BRISBANE, Australia, 17 March 2012. Boeing [NYSE: BA] subsidiary Boeing Defense Australia (BDA) has been awarded a three-year contract to perform aircraft surface finishing services for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft fleet.

The contract, worth approximately $21 million, involves preparing, remediating and painting AP-3C Orion, C-130H Hercules, F/A-18 Hornet, and Hawk-127 aircraft across multiple locations in Australia and New Zealand.

BDA's solution includes standing up a surface finishing services capability at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales.

From 2013, Williamtown will become the primary facility for painting F/A-18 classic Hornets, while Amberley will immediately focus on the Hawk-127. BDA supplier Air New Zealand will provide paint finishing services for the AP-3C Orion at its facility in Christchurch, with maintenance support provided by Australian Aerospace. The C-130H Hercules will be painted by BDA supplier Flying Colours Aviation in Townsville, North Queensland.

A C-130H Hercules will be the first aircraft painted in Townsville under the contract in mid-April, followed by a fleet of Hawk-127s at RAAF Base Amberley.