Defence to spend $659 million at Edinburgh base

December 2017

Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne and Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP 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.

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 air-craft will provide strong and valuable support to Australia’s maritime security well into the future. 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" Minister Payne said.

Both Ministers thanked Defence’s program partners, the United States Navy and Boeing, on the significant achievement.