Air Combat Training Support Program fosters growth and talent

This year, the EATS Program celebrates 15 years, a testament to the collective efforts of Raytheon Australia’s people. The team focuses on delivering a world class training environment for the ADF, while fostering and developing talent, with a long-term investment made in the technicians and engineers to continue contributing to the broader Defence industry.

Raytheon Australia EATS Program Manager Mark Hutcheson has led the program since its inception in February 2010, when it was called the Australian Super Hornet Training Support Services program. Since then, it has seen a tremendous transformation over the last decade and a half.

“In the beginning, the program provided training and delivery services at Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley, to the then newly acquired F/A-18F Super Hornet mission system,” Hutcheson said.

“The program expanded to include additional training devices and the EA-18G Growler mission system, before going onto absorb the legacy Raytheon Australia Hornet Aircrew Training System and continued management of the F/A-18A/B Classic Hornet, providing training services at both RAAF Bases Williamtown and Tindal.

“The F/A-18A/B Classic Hornet training support and delivery services were eventually phased out, along with the disposal of associated systems at RAAF Base Williamtown and then RAAF Base Tindal,” he said.

Reflecting on the journey, Hutcheson highlighted other major feats achieved by the team that have since matured into independent long-term programs. This includes the initial introduction of significant capabilities of the Mobile Threat Training Emitter System program, providing a more realistic threat training environment for pilot training, and the Live Virtual Constructive and Ranges Exercise Development program, now known as Exercise Control, supporting customer virtual and range training exercises.

“The abilities and skill set nurtured are incredibly niche and coveted, our engineers and technicians develop capability advancing to support defence industry, we essentially develop a workforce pipeline – given the capacity the program has for developing and evolving service delivery,” Hutcheson said.

“Over recent years the program has deployed Distributed Mission and Live Virtual Constructive capabilities through the provision of virtual exercise support and to live integrated operations. These capabilities are enhancing Raytheon Australia’s ability to provide a richer synthetic training environment for greater realistic Commonwealth aircrew training events.”

Raytheon Australia EATS Senior Maintenance Manager Brett Denton ensures the program adheres a commitment to safety and teamwork; a culture he prides himself on instilling within the team.

“Our safety record, and no lost time due to injury across 15 years, as of May 2025, sits at 5,555 days, that number signifies our commitment to safety culture and each other,” Denton said.

Raytheon Australia Chief Operations Officer Jim Gardener has worked closely with the EATS program during his 26-year career at Raytheon Australia.

Over the last 15 years, Gardener has witnessed the growth of the EATS program, with evolving capabilities demonstrating the team’s ability to successfully deliver for the ADF.

“After 12 years of work, the program pivoted back to core F/A-18F and EA-18G, seamlessly continuing training support and delivery services under the now renamed, Electronic Attack Air Combat Training Support,” Gardener said.

“Since 2022, our people have been working to provide long-term training support and delivery services to Air Combat Electronic Attack Systems Program Office, 82 Wing, 1 and 6 Squadrons at RAAF Base Amberley.”

Gardener added: “Congratulations on the quindecennial. The achievement demonstrates the passion and commitment of the team, capable and committed to delivering for Australia’s defence.”