Leidos Australia recognised as MRO Business of the Year at the Australian Aviation Awards
Leidos Australia is proud to announce that its Mission Equipment Service Centre (MESC) has been recognised as MRO Business of the Year at the 2026 Australian Aviation Awards.
The award highlights the critical role the MESC plays in supporting the availability, reliability and performance of airborne mission systems used in national security, emergency response and defence operations across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Based in Cairns, the Mission Equipment Service Centre is a unique sovereign capability, delivering advanced maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for complex mission and surveillance systems installed on specialised aircraft. Over many years, the facility has grown into a leading centre of technical excellence, providing customers with responsive support and reducing reliance on overseas repair facilities.
As the only facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the MESC provides sovereign support for radar, electro-optical, avionics and integrated mission systems, helping customers maximise aircraft availability and mission readiness while maintaining critical capabilities within Australia.
Supporting organisations including the Australian Border Force, Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Defence, State Police and Fire Services, alongside international customers such as the Indonesian Navy, Singapore Ministry of Defence and Royal New Zealand Air Force, the MESC has established a reputation for technical excellence and responsive customer support.
The centre is CASA Part 145 certified, operates to ISO 9001 and AS9110 quality standards, is an OEM-authorised L3Harris WESCAM service centre and a Raytheon SeaVue Surveillance Radar Intermediate Level Maintenance facility.
Beyond maintenance and repair services, the MESC delivers a comprehensive sustainment capability, supporting research and development, fleet modifications, system upgrades, obsolescence management, flight testing and remote technical support. This end-to-end approach enables customers to sustain and evolve complex mission systems throughout their operational life.
Recent projects have further demonstrated the depth of expertise within the team and its ability to solve complex technical challenges. The MESC recently expanded its sovereign capability through several significant achievements, including entry into the US Navy's Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) program following endorsement by L3Harris WESCAM.
The team also developed an innovative in-house repair solution for Auxiliary Fuel Probes on the Dash 8 fleet after the original manufacturer deemed the components irreparable. By engineering a local repair capability, the team restored critical aircraft capability at a fraction of the cost and time of external repair, returning 11 fuel probes to service in less than one week rather than the several months typically required through traditional repair pathways.
The MESC's commitment to continuous improvement is reflected in its operational performance. In 2025, the team achieved an average repair turnaround time of just 15 days, well below its internal 30-day target and significantly faster than the industry norm of approximately 90 days. The facility also recorded zero early field failures, zero foreign object debris (FOD) detections, zero maintenance errors and zero negative customer feedback, demonstrating exceptional quality and reliability.
Leidos Australia’s Vice President Airborne Solutions, Adrian Pettifor, said the award recognises the expertise, innovation and dedication of the people behind the capability.
"This recognition is a credit to our Mission Equipment Service Centre team, whose technical expertise, commitment to innovation and customer focus continue to set the benchmark for mission systems sustainment."
"Every day they support the systems that enable critical surveillance, emergency response and national security operations. Their work strengthens Australia's sovereign aerospace capability while delivering exceptional outcomes for our customers."
The recognition also reflects the strong partnerships the MESC has built across industry. L3Harris WESCAM has described the facility as "a benchmark of excellence in the MRO sector," recognising not only its technical capability but also its culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
While the award recognises outstanding performance over the past year, it also highlights the growing importance of sovereign mission systems sustainment capabilities in supporting customers operating in demanding and often mission-critical environments.
Leidos Australia congratulates all finalists and winners recognised at this year's Australian Aviation Awards and thanks its customers, partners and suppliers for their continued trust and collaboration.
Most importantly, this recognition reflects the dedication, expertise and professionalism of the Mission Equipment Service Centre team, whose work continues to support critical aviation operations across Australia and the region.
