An E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control platform at Red Flag 17-1. (Defence)

Boeing is expanding its presence in South Australia, with Boeing Defence Australia signing a partnership agreement with the SA government to open a new office in Adelaide.

Boeing Defence Australia’s growth in the state builds on support programs currently operating there, including for the E-7A Wedgetail, P-8A Poseidon and Collins class submarines.

Boeing Defence Australia vice-president and managing director Darren Edwards said that the office will encompass research, development and innovation programs spanning: command, control, communications and intelligence (C3I); intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR); and advanced experimentation and prototyping.

“Boeing Defence Australia is committed to building local capability in South Australia; one way we are doing this is by investing $500,000 over five years in the Techstars Adelaide global accelerator program to support South Australia’s entrepreneurial startups,” said Edwards.

SA Premier Jay Weatherill stated that the facility will create 250 new, highly skilled technical and advanced research jobs over five years.

The office will be officially opened by Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne on April 12.