Major Defence Infrastructure Opens in South Australia

The first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the Deep Maintenance and Modification Facility will become a regional hub for the maintenance and sustainment of aircraft for the Australian Defence Force and its partners.  

Delivered in partnership between Renewal SA and BESIX Watpac, construction was completed ahead of schedule and on budget. This facility will enable the long-term deep maintenance of the RAAF’s P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to occur in Australia, and in doing so will support highly skilled local engineering, avionics and logistics jobs.  

The over 240-metre-long building has been designed to accommodate and support not just the P-8A Poseidon, but a range of other RAAF platforms and includes:                       

• a four‑bay hangar capacity suitable for Boeing 737‑derivative aircraft; 

• aircraft docking systems to provide full aircraft access for deep maintenance and modification; 

• workshops to support structural, mechanical, avionics and mission‑system maintenance and modifications; 

• secure systems and infrastructure to support sustainment and upgrade activities for sensitive equipment; and 

• logistics and support workspaces to enable long‑duration maintenance events. 

Construction of the Deep Maintenance and Modification Facility over the last two years created around 450 jobs and over 60 apprentices and trainees gaining early career experience in construction on this project.