Cobham has signed a five-year extension of its B717 QantasLink contract with Australian airline Qantas worth A$500m ($514m), which was scheduled to expire in 2013.

The extension involves the expansion of operations into Queensland, which will see the contract run through to 2018, and includes an increase in B717 QantasLink aircraft operated by Cobham from 11 to 13.

The contract also includes the establishment of a Brisbane operating base in early 2012.