BOEING, RAAF WELCOME SUPER HORNETS TO AUSTRALIA

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 (Bernama) -- The first five Boeing F/A-18F Super
Hornets for Australia landed at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley
Friday, bringing the next generation in air combat capability to the multirole
fighter's first international customer.

The Super Hornets, piloted by RAAF aircrews, departed U.S. Naval Air Station
Lemoore, Calif., on March 18 and made scheduled stops in Hawaii, Pago Pago and
New Zealand on the way to Amberley.

The Australian Minister for Defence, Senator John Faulkner, welcomed the
RAAF Super Hornets to Australia at a ceremony on the base. Dennis Muilenburg,
president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, joined Senator Faulkner
at the event.

"The men and women of Boeing are honored to provide the next generation in
air combat capability to the Royal Australian Air Force and proud to deliver it
on time and on budget for all Australians," said Muilenburg on Monday, in a
statement from Amberley, Queensland.

"The arrival of these Super Hornets marks a new chapter in a partnership
between Boeing and Australia that has endured for more than 80 years."

"The exceptional collaboration and teamwork between Australia’s Defence
Materiel Organisation, the Royal Australian Air Force, the U.S. Navy and the
Hornet Industry Team was the foundation that ensured these new Super Hornets are
now ready to begin their RAAF service," he said.

Australia announced its intent to acquire 24 Super Hornets in March 2007.

The remaining 19 aircraft, each equipped with the Raytheon-built APG-79
Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, will arrive in Australia
throughout 2010 and 2011.

"The on-schedule arrival of the new Australian Super Hornets marks the
beginning of a new generation of air power for the RAAF," said Group Captain
Steven Roberton, Officer Commanding the Super Hornet Wing.

"The multirole Super Hornet is an advanced, networked weapons system that
provides a major leap in capability for the RAAF. We are looking forward to the
new operational capability," Roberton continued.

"The Super Hornet employs advanced networked sensors that provide its two
aircrew with total situational awareness, enabling them to conduct simultaneous
air-to-air and air-to-ground operations."

The Boeing Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually
every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night
strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support,
suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air
control and tanker missions.

Boeing has delivered more than 420 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy.

Every Super Hornet produced has been delivered on or ahead of schedule and
on budget.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the
world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in
innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest
and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a US$34
billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

-- BERNAMA